Before Dawn
by La'Rae and Ninjas Incorporated
Summary: Most people would call it fate and chance. She just referred to it as the fault of faulty fire escape, and the old buildings poor construction. He couldn't help but to agree with her, but sometimes he tells himself it had been a rare moment of good luck. Jason Todd X OC, contains reference to B:UtRH and DC movies.
1. 1

**.1**

Jason Todd was not having a particularly good night. In fact he might say the he was just having a bad life in honest. He wasn't exactly sure to what he did to deserve this injustice. Alright, that might have been a lie. Red Hood could think of a few things, but seriously it just wasn't fair.

He couldn't understand why Batman couldn't just avenge him. It would all be so much easier if he just grew a pair and killed the Joker like everyone kept telling him to do. But Bruce couldn't do it. Couldn't avenge his own son. No, he didn't want to go down that road again.

So completely lost in his angst ridden thoughts, Jason did not notice the creaking under his feet as he landed on the slight rusted iron fire escape. One of his safe houses was just a few buildings over and he had wounds to tend to. If he had noticed, then he probably wouldn't have stood there for so long while trying to catch his breath. The old escape came out of its bearings. He fell.

 _!THAWK!_

There was a loud clatter outside her window. It sounded as if someone had fallen on the escape. Which was highly plausible considering the age of the damn thing and the faulty manufacturing of it. Carlisle Tollar, a former combat medic and now part time aftercare nurse had moved into the building six months ago when she first moved to Gotham. She reached for the gun she kept in the side stand before going to check out the noise. It could have been a cat or a robber and the petite woman wasn't about to take any chances.

She pushed the dark curtan from the window view slowly. Then let out a startled gasp, quickly throwing open the window and climbing out onto the fragile structure. There in front of her window, surrounded by various pieces of broken fire escape was a masked vigilante. Carlisle only recognizes him as a vigilante from the similar dress to the one who'd been in the new a view days prior and the fact that robbers and normal people didn't go around wearing domino mask. At least she didn't think they would, this was Gotham after all.

All sorts of crazy things happened here.

"Lordy, are you alright?" There is a slight drawl to her voice as she speaks, so bewildered that it causes a momentary lapse in her speech. The male give a pitiful and pain filled groan. She helps him sit up, cautiously at that too cause she had the feeling that if suspected any sort of foul play he'd go for the jugular.

"What the fu-." She cuts him off while doing a quick check of his injuries invading his personal space even further. There are a few cuts that look to need stiches and some minor burns that she can probably help with. He tries to push her off of him, tries being the key word, because he just fell at least a story and previously to this had been caught up in the cross fires of Batman plus co.

"Let's get you inside my apartment before this gives out even more with our combined weight." Her voice is soft, calming, it's a nice surprise to how he was used to hearing people speak to him lately. Later when asked about why he complied, why he did what she said Jason would write it off as a result of how bad he felt and shook. However that wasn't really the whole truth, it boiled down to how she looked at him when she spoke with nothing but kindness.

Kindness and help offered to a stranger who'd fallen onto the fire escape outside her window at three a.m.

Getting Jason into her apartment takes time, and careful consideration. She knew nothing about him. Only that he needed help and she could provide him with that. Carlisle had always been accused of having a soft heart. So when later asked about it she'd tell the truth, because why wouldn't she? There was no alterior motive no ill-intention.

She helped him, the complete stranger who'd metaphorically landed at her feet for one simple reason. He needed help, and who was she to deny him of it.

It was the beginning of a very interesting partnership to say the least.

 **XOXOX**

 **Just a little something I have been mulling over for a while. We will see how it goes.**

 **Please let me know your thoughts.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	2. 2

**.2**

Late night check-ups become a thing. Or early morning if you wanted to be real specific. Jason makes a habit after getting off of patrol to stop by and check in with her. Carlisle as he comes to find out doesn't have a regular sleep schedule or if they're being honest is probably an insomniac. The first time he pops in, unannounced after their initial meeting she chunks a pillow at him. He'd give her this, she had good aim. Sometimes she still does.

This night in particular, a few months into their… whatever is was. Carlisle was not in a particularly good mood. It was a Wednesday morning, so he knows she'd come off of her hospital rotation a few hours prior, she worked in the general hospitals ICU three nights a week. But it didn't explain her mood. The small brunette woman always had a positive air to her, honestly when she was around he felt like he could breathe easier.

Jason came in through the window, from the now fixed fire escape. The fact he'd been the one to fix it does not go unnoticed. A last minute decision on his part during his third visit when it buckled under his weight as he dropped down onto the partly rusted metal. He closed the window carefully behind himself. Carlise barely manages to look up from where she'd settled on the couch still in her pastel colored scrubs.

He works the hood off of his face settling the piece of equipment down on the coffee table as he passes. Shrugging off his jacket and carefully tossing it over the old recliner next. There is a gash on his shoulder he wants her to look at, but since he doesn't think it's too severe he wonders over to the fridge first. Slight bumping the door with his bad shoulder but not really paying it any attention.

She raises a brow at him when he holds a beer in front of her face. "Rough night?" He questions walking around to sit on the coffee table next to where he'd set his helmet. Carlisle's eyes the bottle in her hand, sighs and sets it on the table.

"You are bleeding." He takes a moment, huh, the gash on his shoulder must have reopened. Great. She pushes herself off the couch quietly wondering past the kitchen and into the only bathroom. Most likely to retrieve the extensive medical kit she kept there. Jason watched her walk away, eyes narrowing and brows furrowing. Something was wrong.

Carlisle needed to get ahold of herself. She took a deep breath, grabbed the medical kit from the small storage closet. There were certain things that were just expected of her in this… whatever the hell these two had going on was. From the first night, she could tell Jason needed some kind of light in his rather dark life. For the most part she had no problem offering him that light, it was actually what she was used to doing for people. It was just in her nature.

But then again she too had her moments where she needed someone to shin a little more light her way. The shadows just a bit much, a little too dark. She was having one of those days. Where everything that could have gone wrong did. Where everyone just needed too much from her. Took more than she had to give. Carlisle sighed.

Maybe she could patch Jason up and then just get him to go home tonight. She didn't feel like she could give him what he needed tonight. Carlisle headed back to the small living room.

"I hope you haven't gotten blood all over my coffee table…again." She calls out to him. Jason smirks at her from his spot on the thick wooded table. He'd removed the domino mask in her absence and she could see what appeared to be a bruise forming around his left eye. Carlisle shook her head, she didn't even want to know how that happened. Especially since he had been wearing his helmet upon entering.

"It's really not that bad." She sets the bag next to the helmet, raising her brow at him in the process.

"You really shouldn't wear such a thin shirt on patrol. If you are going to continue risking your life at least take better precaution." Carlisle scolds, cleaning around the gash. It wasn't as bad as it had originally seemed he wouldn't need stiches. Jason doesn't say anything on the matter letting her work in silence.

Not something that usually happened. He mulls over her weird behavior instead. Knowing something was wrong, but not sure how to approach it. They didn't, they weren't really there yet. Outside of these moments before dawn they didn't talk about their lives. Other than the need to know. Inside her apartment walls the world outside them didn't exist. But he liked to think of them as more than just acquaintances, almost friends.

"You are unusually quiet." She eventually points out, wrapping bandage around the wound. Carlisle didn't take any chances when it came to patching him up. There was no way in hell she'd let him get an infection on her watch. He meets her questioning gaze with a slightly concerned glance.

"The same could be said about you." _Are you okay?_ She hears the unspoken question in how his eyes linger on her face. Something bubbles inside of her, a small flutter in her stomach. It earns him a half smile.

"Just one of those days." He nods in acceptance. Everyone had off days. Jason stands, placing his mask back on his face.

"Fair enough. Thanks for the patch up. Get some sleep Car." She shakes her head. Jason Todd was a lot of things, but he was not a fool and apparently could take a hint. He picks up his helmet and heads over to the window he came in from. Carlisle follows about half way.

"Only if you do as well. By the way, I bought this flavored coffee I want you to try." He chuckles at her mirthful tone and shakes his head. The last batch of flavored coffee she had him try tasted like a donut shop had taken a dump. It had been thrown away almost immediately afterwards.

"Yeah like you are ever going to get me to drink your flavored coffee again. Once was enough." A smirk spreads over her lips and she snorts at his tone. Jason slips the helmet over his head and opens the window.

"Please, you might actually like this one. It's apparently peanut butter flavored or something. It might be okay." He laughs, shaking his head at her. Jason opens the window stepping back out onto the escape. Grapple gun in one hand.

"Goodnight Car." He aims the gun, shooting the hook at the next building pulling away from the old fire escape and the insomniac nurse.

Carlisle closes the window behind him rolling her eyes at his over the top display. She couldn't understand why he would just use the front door like a normal person. Turning from the window she can't help but to sigh.

His jacket laid forgotten over the chair. One day he'd remember to take it with him. But for now it kept giving him a reason to come back.

 **XOXOX**

 **Thank you to everyone who liked, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I hope you guys like this chapter, a little longer. Please let me know what you think.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	3. 3

**.3**

Six months into the budding friendship between vigilante Red Hood and Nurse Tollar, the petite brunette is introduced to more of the night life. Introduced is used loosely here as Carlisle would never in her life say what transpired was a formal introduction. Well at least to one of them. Jason had been hulled up at her apartment for a few days sick. Pneumonia, if you were curious. Carlisle recognized the symptoms during one of his visits and wasn't about to let the idiot keep working like that.

"So this is where he's been." The voice from the window, that so different than Jason's speaks. Carlisle in all her grace hurls the closest thing to her at the intruder. A house shoe that would have pegged them between the eyes if the unknown intruder didn't have such fast reflexives.

Jason who had formerly been passed out on the couch sat up groaning at the loud startled squeak from his nurse. His eyes landed on her first, taking in her surprised and alarmed expression. Then they drift over to where she was looking. In the living room window, his usual entry way, was someone he considered to be his closest friend. He groaned.

"Arsenal what are you doing here?" He questions laying back into the couch. Carlisle finally takes her eyes off of the masked red head glaring at Jason.

"Why is Robin Hood in my window?" Jason actually manages to laugh at her tone. She did not liked surprises, so he was certain this wasn't something she was happy with in the slightest.

Arsenal takes a moment to respond to the question. Curious to what he was seeing. The brunette stood, she narrowed her eyes at him slightly. "You can come in. I'll make some coffee or something." She walked away from them heading into the small attached kitchen. He heard Jason mutter something about peanut butter before slipping off the large window's ledge and dropping the thrown slipper. It hits the ground with a soft thud.

Jason readjust himself on the couch sitting up and leaning his head against the back of the sofa. It easy to see he's been sick. Arsenal takes a hesitant step closer. "You dropped off the radar, I got a call from Nightwing." He tells the unmasked man who just groans again.

"Nosy bastard." Jason mutters, before he starts coughing violently. Arsenal raises a brow. The motion made weird by the red mask adorning his face.

Carlisle walked around the kitchen bar then, a cup of water in her hand. She passes it to Jason from behind the couch. Order to drink clear in her eye. He takes it from her hands easily. Having already decided that trying to fight her on the matter was a losing cause. While he takes a sips she makes a subtle move to check his temperature lightly touching the top of her hand against his check as she pulls away. Arsenal wisely doesn't comment.

"So this is where you disappear to any time you are hurt on patrol I take it." He does state once the small woman has turned her back and headed back around to the kitchen. Jason shoots a glare over the top of the glass. Once he finishes drinking he sets the glass down on the coffee table.

"So Nightwing sent you looking for me? I thought you were in Star city?" Arsenal just shrugs.

"Star and I are taking a break right now." He tells it plainly, Jason just nods his head.

"That sucks man."

Carlisle chooses that moment to reemerge from the kitchen then, two cups of coffee in her hand. She hands one to Arsenal who despite expressing a desire for said substance accepts it easily. The other she takes a sip of and then sets it on the coffee table. Jason decides that that means he can have it and picks it up. If Carlisle had actually wanted to drink it she would have set it on the table next to the chair instead of the coffee table covered by Jason's Red Hood things.

"So…" Arsenal begins looking at the brunette curiously. Not exactly sure how to ask.

"Carlisle Tollar, Carlisle or Car is fine." She states, taking a seat back in the chair and tucking her feet under her. He nods. Well at least he could stop refereeing to her at the brunette.

"Arsenal, but I guess you figured that out. Thanks for the coffee."

"No problem."

For a moment they sit/ stand there a tad awkwardly. As if things couldn't be weirder. No sooner does she think that there is a soft knock on the outside of the opened window. A woman, with bright green eyes, tanned orange tones skin and fiery hair is practically floating on the escape. Carlisle just groans taking the thought back. She rubs a hand over her face. It was too early for this. She turns to look at Jason who only shrugs and offers her a half smirk.

"I guess it's time for you to meet my teammates." Carlisle narrows her eyes at him. Contemplating flipping him off.

"I do not mean to intrude, I was just trying to check in." The Tamaranian speaks from her spot at the window.

Carlisle nods her head at the reasoning and offers the alien woman a kind smile. "Your good, and you can come in. Just close the window, I don't think I can handle any more surprises." Starfire smiles at the earth girl before entering. She heeds the human's instructions.

"I am Starfire, but you may call me Kori." She speaks walking over to where Arsenal was still standing stiffly.

"Carlisle, it's nice to meet you Kori." Jason hid a small smile behind the coffee cup rim. Watching as Roy pulled two chairs from the dinner table over. The four adults fell into a conversation easily once all settled in the small living room. All the tension from earlier gone.

At least his friends seemed to approve. Jason had this feeling that if Bruce or any of the others ever found out about Carlisle and his friendship... Well let's just say he didn't think it would be met with as much grace.

"If you are ever hurt, and cannot go to a hospital or each other you now know where I live." Carlisle tells them both as they leave. Starfire embraces her for the offer and Arsenal gives a nod of his head telling he'd heard her.

"Thank you for your kindness, it has been a pleasure."

Arsenal opens the window, the two outlaws leave the way they came. She can't help the sigh of relief that falls from her lips or the exasperation she feels. There was a door. Why was she the only person using it?

"Thanks for not freaking out, I know you hadn't been prepared for that." He tells her when she's settled across from him. Her eyes soften and she runs a hand through his sweaty bangs.

"They were nice. But they better not make a habit of scaring the crap out of me each time they decide to pop in. There is a door Jay, my apartment has a front door." He smirks at her.

"There's no fun in that Car." His words are followed by another cough. Carlisle frowns.

"Maybe I should have made them leave. You need to rest. How are you feeling?" She reaches for the half full cup of water. Passing it to him quickly.

"Better, I should actually probably try to get a short patrol in. Don't need Bats to try an' track me down or whatever." He tries after drinking more from the cup. Carlisle pins him with a look.

"Nice try, but no. I can't have you hackin' up a lung while swingin' from the rooftops." Her slight drawl slips out and he has to keep himself from grinning at it.

"You know that you couldn't really stop me if I tried right?" She glares then.

"You better not Jason. I'll be forced to lock my window for a few days, or get a bird." He couldn't stop himself from laughing at her threat.

"You would get a bird just to annoy me."

"Of course I would. Now lay back down and I'ma going to get something for that cough and for your fever." And that's the end of that discussion. They both knew better anyway. Jason wasn't about to argue with her for the sake of it. He had no intention of upsetting her.

 **XOXOX**

 **Thank you for reading the last chapter and letting me know what you thought! Here's another chapter for you all. I hope that you enjoy it.**

 **Apologies for any OOC-ness of any of the DC characters, I am trying. Suggestions and advice is appreciated going forward.**

 **Once again thank you for reading.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	4. 4

**.4**

Carlisle worked evenings three days a week sometimes four, which meant she got home late. Her apartment was in one of the safer areas of Gotham. It had been something she made sure of when moving to the big city. But every now and again things could happen. So she took precautions, she didn't walk to her car by herself from the hospital, she parked on the street as close to her building as possible, she was always armed, always. Since meeting Jason, she usually called or texted him when she left work to let him know she would be home if he needed her. Sometimes on slow nights he would meet her there and walk her back to the building before heading back out.

Tonight was not one of those nights. Jason was caught up with some sort of drug raid and wouldn't be free until much later. Her usual parking spot was taken so she had to park about a block from her building. It shouldn't have made her so anxious, but this was Gotham and it was late. Anything could happen. She shook her head not wanting to think about it and ready to get to her building.

It should be noted. That in the seven months since Carlisle met Jason not once had she ever encountered any of the other members of the Bat family, as she heard another nurse refer to them as. Not even in the year that she'd lived in the city had she even seen them other than news reports. Carlisle tried to stay out of trouble.

That was about to change. Carlisle would find out the hard way. Really she never meant for this to happen, one Robin former or not was enough for her. She really hated spontaneous change. Sometimes she wished she just sat in her car for a few seconds longer.

It wasn't that bad, she was in fact just being a tad dramatic over the matter. But you would too if you ended up being taken to the emergency room by a ten year old in a cap. She was just trying to walk to her apartment, how was she supposed to know Robin was fighting a fleeing gunman in an alleyway. Carlisle wasn't clairvoyant.

The bulking idiot forcefully grabbed her from behind when she'd been trying to close the door. Carlisle was not a tall woman, she was toned from her previous time serving but now a days she didn't train as rigorously. Muscle memory alone was what saved her from a more server injury that night. She jabbed her elbow deep into the man's stomach and he drops her, hard.

When Carlisle was in the service she'd shattered the bones in her arm, the details from the how blurry, but the fact remained that the bones now were significantly weaker than they should have been. Her forearm connects to the edge of the sidewalk first then a slight cracking sound. She grabs at it with her free hand hissing at the pain, the adrenaline clouding just how bad it felt and makes a move to kick the dude's ankles. The gun he'd previously been holding slips out of his grip and slides under her vehicle.

She watches in pure satisfaction as for some reason a katana skewers through his shoulder blade pinning the guy too her car. Moments later a young boy in a domino mask and yellow/black cape appears. He looks to be heavily annoyed by the situation.

"I got him Nightwing, tt, everything is fine. No I do not need your assistance." She hears him speak into what she'll assume is his com. So this must have been the current Robin. Carlisle carefully adjust so she's sitting up, not yet wanting to try to stand.

The movement causes the child to turn his attention to her. Robin looks over her carefully, it takes hardly a minute to determine she in injured. Of course the bone that had punctured through her skin and blood also help. He sighs.

"Do you require an ambulance?" She looked at him for a second, blinking owlishly while his question registers. Then nods. Robin does as he offered. He makes sure she gets to the hospital and then promptly leaves.

Carlisle is sitting on the hospital room, legs folded under her. Her arm had been properly seen too and had been determined to need surgery. While it had been a quick procedure she had to spend the rest of the night recovering. Annoying at best, because no matter how much she insisted to be fine post the operation the doctor would not let her leave unless she had someone to take her home.

Robin had disappeared once a Doctor had been set to see her and she hadn't seen the little kid since. Carlisle was going to have to ask Jason why Batman thought having a child fight crime was a good idea the next chance she got. It was just absurd.

She leaned back into the stiff pillow, sighing. This was just ridiculous. Being here or being at her apartment wouldn't make a single bit of difference. For Christ sake she was a nurse, she could take care of herself.

"I leave you for one night." Jason sudden appearance startles her. She glances over at the room's door, he's in his civies but his shirt is on inside out and his dark hair is matted to his forehead from his helmet.

"Since you here do you think you can get them to release me? I just want to curl up in my own bed." Carlisle whines a little. Jason despite being upset over the situation chuckles at her expression.

"It's what I'm here for Car." Her face lights up at that, beaming a killer smile at him.

"Have I told you how great you are?"

He smirks at her then. "Not lately, but you don't really have to tell me things I already know." She laughs gleefully then, at the goofy look in his eye and a bit from the painkillers. Jason helps her put shoes on and then takes her home.

After seven months, two weeks, and three days of their friendship he finally uses the front door.

 **XOXOX**

 **It's a twofer, featuring a wild Robin sighting. For the time being no one in the bat family knows that Carlisle exists except Damian and only in passing. It will probably be a few more chapters before that reveal and maybe one more passing meeting.**

 **Disclaimer: I have never broken a bone like that, and have never seen someone break a bone like that. If it is inaccurate or you know I apologize. That is all.**

 **Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	5. 5

"Explain to me why Batman let's a child be his sidekick. You told me your story, so why does he keep letting a child take up the Robin mantle?"

Jason's hand stops mid move, he drops the chess piece. Her question hits a nerve. He takes a breath trying to calm the sea of emotions the builds from hearing that. He often wondered that himself. From what he knew of the two other Robins that followed him it hadn't ended practically well for either of them, and while Jason wasn't really found of his replacement he was clear headed enough now that he didn't want to see any more dead robins. But he knew the circumstances were different with the demon spawn.

He shrugs his shoulders and rights his knight. "I dunno, I should punch the twerp in the face next time I see him though for not getting to you sooner." Carlisle shakes her head at him. Whatever she was about to say next was cut off by a knock at the door. Jason raises his brow at her and she shakes her head. She mouths for him to go check it out.

Of course he complies, pushing himself off the ground easily. His sock covered feet slide across the wooden floorboards to the door. He smirks when he sees who's on the other side opening the door for them before asking permission.

Kori glides into the apartment first, Roy follows at a sedated pace holding a few boxes of pizza. "Car we heard of your altercation and have brought what you all refer to as comfort food." The Tamarian announces. Carlisle smiles at her alien friend over her shoulder.

"Hi Kori, you didn't hav' to do that." Jason smirks at the slip of her accent closing the door behind his teammates watching as Kori took a seat next to Carlisle embracing the smaller woman carefully.

"Nonsense it is what friends are for. Jason says you liked pizza, I hope that is alright." There is a slight undertone of concern Kori's voice.

"Pizza is fine with me, thanks Kori."

"If you too are done with the formalities, let's eat." Jason says cheekily, Carlisle uses her good arm to chunk a pillow at him. He dodges with ease pillow soars down the short hall. Roy rolls his eyes and sets the pizza down on the kitchen table.

"Plates are in the cabinet next to the stove, Jay will you get them?" Carlisle questions while trying to stand up. Kori places a hand on her shoulder offering her a kind smile.

"Please stay seated Carlisle. I will bring you a plate." She declares standing quickly and bounding over to the table. Jason smirked at the back of her head, it was nice to see someone telling Carlisle what to do for a change.

It was rather refreshing. Especially since she didn't try to argue with Kori. She probably knew like he did that arguing with the Tamaranian was just not worth it.

.

"I'm heading out on patrol, do you need anything before I go?" Jason asks as he gets ready to leave that night. Kori and Roy had stayed until the evening before ducking out, they'd talked and played a card game. But ultimately had to leave, something about a train to catch.

Carlisle looks over at him from where she'd repositioned herself in the chair. It had been a better option with all three outlaws. "I think I'll be alright, I'm probably going to try to get some sleep after you leave anyway."

"Alright. Do you want me to check in when I'm done or will you still be asleep?" He questions slipping on his leather jacket. While he had a good amount of his gear scattered throughout her apartment from just the sheer amount of times he'd forgotten it there he still needed to make a trip to his own safe house before heading out. She bites her lip thinking over the question.

"I'll probably be out of it still, text me first and we'll go from there."

"No problem. Get some rest Car, if I don't see you tonight I stop by sometime tomorrow." Carlisle gives a nod of her head then. That would work.

"Sounds good, be safe. I can't have you getting' hurt while I'm out of commission." He chuckles at her tone. Carlisle pouts at him.

"Of course. See you later Car."

"Bye Jay."

 **XOXOX**

 **Just a short snapshot of life going on. I think in the next chapter we might get to see more interaction with the rest of the batfamily. Maybe. We will see.**

 **Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	6. 6

**.6**

She wasn't Jason's usual type. It is the first thing he thinks when he sees them together. Or at least the girls Jason had shown interest in before were completely different to the woman with him now. Timothy Drake hadn't intended to run into his older 'brother' in daylight… well ever. Jason and he did not get along, and that was putting it nicely. So he tried to stay away from places he knew the Red Hood would avoid in daylight.

Like small hole in the wall breakfast patisserie. It wasn't a place someone like Jason would just be at. Not at eight in the morning and not with a girl. At least that is what Tim had thought. He didn't like being wrong, and he really didn't want to add this gem to his list.

Luckily for him it didn't seem like Jason had noticed him yet. His 'brother' was too caught up in whatever the brunette was telling him. She was gesturing with one hand the other was contained in a sling and Tim got this feeling that if it was she'd be talking with both arms. Since Jason's back was half to the door he hadn't seen him enter. If Tim was lucky he wouldn't notice him at all.

As he got closer to the register to order his coffee and a bagel he could hear a piece of what she was saying.

"Of course I was grounded afterwards, but it had been worth it. The look on my older brother's face was just priceless." Jason actually laughed at the girl too, it sounded genuine. Which was just bazar.

"You laugh, but if you could have you'd done somethin' similar." She glares at him leaning forward slightly to flick his arm.

Tim ordered the two things he came for and high tailed it out of there. But not before taking a well-hidden photo of the two. He's seen enough and he doesn't want to risk Jason seeing him. The whole thing was just too strange. Jason didn't have many friends, and he wasn't known to be friends with civilians. But that was most defiantly Jason Todd and she was absolutely a civilian. No doubt in his mind.

The teen is stuck on the whole thing his entire way into the office. He goes straight to his privet office and sits down at the computer. Who was she? Because it was obvious to him just from his brief exposure to them that they'd been friends for a while. Especially if she'd been comfortable enough with Jason to flick him and for Jason not to blow up at her.

He throws the now empty coffee away. It was time to do some research. Perhaps he'd give Oracle a call once he pulled up her picture from the shop. Tim had some digging to do.

Even if he and Jason weren't on good terms he still wanted to make sure there wasn't anything sketchy about that girl. Not when his older brother seemed so keen with her. Huh… now that was something to think about.

After three hours and two more cups of coffee, one trip over to Bruce's office for a meeting, and one restroom break Tim had a break through. He has all of her information pulled up on the left screen of his duel monitors, the right has a few snapshots of her from various traffic cams. Leaving the hospital, heading into her apartment, at the patisserie, all of the images are clear except one angle from a camera that faces the back of her building. He'll look into that later.

His eyes gloss over the information. Gotham resident for a year, former combat medic discharged due to a severe injury to the left arm and shoulder, on call nurse for Gotham General, part-time after care nurse for the community center. There are more things like place of birth, height (damn she was short), weight, eye color and hair color, and family information. She was apparently the only living child of a wealthy family. Old money no doubt. Her parents were still alive but the records showed she didn't keep in contact with them after enlisting.

"Seems like a nice girl. Why are you stalking her?" Tim jumped in his seat. Glaring up at his oldest 'brother's' stupid smirking face. Dick just laughs at him.

"I saw Jason this morning. She was with him. I think they might have been on a date." Tim decides to tell the first Robin even though he's owning his namesake. Dick raises a brow at that.

"Are you sure it was Jason? She doesn't seem like his type." Tim nodded his head, slightly pleased that Dick would have that same thought.

"It was Jason. No doubt. I'll prove it." Tim pulls up the picture he'd taken quickly on his phone passing the device over his shoulder at to Dick. His eyes widen slightly at the photo, Tim was right that was in fact Jason.

"Interesting." Dick mutters to himself and hands the phone back to Tim. Looking at the information on the woman in a different light now. How strange.

"Don't tell Bruce. I want to see how this plays out." The oldest tells the younger. Tim just nods. He was only going to say something if the girl proved to be dangerous.

She could be good for Jason. It seemed like it from the picture at least. His younger brother was doing something he hadn't seen him do in a long time.

Smiling.

 **XOXOX**

 **And now two of the brothers know about Carlisle. Although they don't know that she knows about Jason secret. And we'll see how that goes at a later time. Wonder how long they plan to keep Bruce out of the loop? We'll see.**

 **Also if you have suggestions of something you think should happen or that you want to see let me know. I'm not all the way sure where this is going to go yet so some stuff is still up for debate.**

 **Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	7. 7

**.7**

Jason can't explain it. When he wakes up that morning, there was this feeling building in his gut. He couldn't shake it. No matter what he did to try to ignore it, he just had this feeling. A feeling he wasn't particularly fond of. It made him want to check in with Carlisle.

Their relationship had been moving forward in the last couple months. It was no longer confined to those moments before dawn, no longer bond by the walls of her apartment. He liked her. More than he probably should, more than he want to admit. Jason had given her a power and he doesn't know if she realized it.

The feeling doesn't get any better, not during his morning workout, not after a video conference with Roy and Kori. If anything it just gets worse. Something was wrong. But he didn't know what it was or why he felt like that. He was beginning to worry. To go along with his unease, to make the matter worse, Carlisle hadn't texted him all day. She usually texted him throughout the day, little things here and there.

Her texts always seemed to brighten his day. But she wasn't texting him, he hadn't heard from her in almost two days. He'd been tracking down a lead and it had taken him out of town. Now he was back and she wasn't talking to him.

God, he sounded like a hopeless idiot.

Regardless, he felt the need to go check on her.

There are certain days where the past can't help but to creep back in. Certain thoughts and memories you can't run from forever. Everyone has those days. Even those who radiate in sunlight, even those who never seem upset or down, the kindest soul somethings is more broken than you can possibly imagine.

Carlisle is no different than anyone else, where there is light there darkness. She isn't any less susceptible to bad days and bad memories. Everyone has those days.

The sunlight streams in through her bedroom lighting up the dark room. Her alarm clock is blaring, it has been on and off for almost an hour. Carlisle was awake, she hadn't slept, but she couldn't be bothered with it. She couldn't make herself get up, she rolls over burring her head in the pillow.

"Well this looks comfortable." He states sardonically, throwing himself down onto the bed next to her. Carlisle can't muster the energy to make him leave.

If it wasn't for Jason, she probably would have spent the entire day in the darkness of her room. Wrapped around the covers, buried in the sand. She doesn't even question what he's doing in her apartment. They had very little boundaries and Jason had a key. Hell in all honestly there weren't a lot of days that he wasn't at her apartment. At this point he practically lived here.

They had exceeded those early morning moments long ago.

She rolls over to face him. Carlisle got the feeling that even if she ignored him he wouldn't go away. He reached forward, touching a gentle hand to her face and casually brushing a strand of hair out of the way. "You know it almost noon?"

"I'm off today." He hums at that.

"Your apartment was completely dark when I came in. Have you been in the bed this whole time?" She nods slowly, he shakes his head.

"I don't feel up to the day." After saying this she becomes quiet. Content to just lay there, staring into his eyes.

Jason doesn't know what to think of that statement. Sure he knew everyone had off days, but for Carlisle to not even want to get out of bed. Not silence her phone that had been ringing when he walked in. It must have been bad. Surely there was something he could do to fix it.

He sits up, pulling the covers off of her as he does. She glares at him. "It's time to get up Car, I have something I want to show you." Carlisle pulls herself up without any grace and great reluctance.

She has no desire to get up, no desire to do anything at the moment. But she also knew better than trying to argue with Jason when he'd made up his mind. Regardless she want make his sudden idea to cheer her up and whatever it was that he was trying to accomplish easy on him. Carlisle trudged about her room at snail's pace. Jason leaned back into the pillows resting his head on the headboard.

"You know I've seen little old ladies move faster than you are right now." He tells her as she reaching for a clean shirt. Jason might have been making her get out of bed but she wasn't about to put much effort in dressing. She flips him off.

All he does in return is laugh. The sound makes her feel a little better. Laughter was a good cure all.

They end up in a park, once Carlisle had stopped acting like a decrepit old woman and got dressed. She hadn't brush her hair but Jason was just glad that he'd managed to get her out of the apartment. Her arm was looped around his like he was her only line of support and if she didn't hold on then she'd float away. He realized that when she had off days, she had OFF days, it had been a conclusion he'd come to early on.

Carlisle can't figure out what exactly Jason is trying to accomplish by this. There were a lot of things she hadn't told him about her life. Just like there were a lot of things he hadn't told her. Sure he'd opened up to her over the months gone by and told her about his childhood and about being Robin. But there were just some things she knew he wasn't telling her.

Everyone was entitled to their secrets.

They don't talk while walking through the small park. Until they come upon a fountain. Carlisle takes a seat on its edge dipping a hand down into the water. "My parents had a fountain like this in front of their house." She says while staring down into its shallow depths. Jason watches her for a moment before taking a seat next to her. He doesn't speak, as he gets the feeling she's not quite done yet.

"I'm the youngest of seven children, and one of two girls. My sister and I use to run around the fountain during the summer when the care takers weren't paying attention. They always tried to stop us afraid we'd fall in, ruin our clothes." She pulls her hand away, let her finger tips barely touch the top of the water.

Jason gets the sense that there is something more to this story. Carlisle's gaze is far away, wherever she is it isn't here with him. Wherever that place is that memory she can't escape it's absolutely so good. She leans against him pulling away from the fountains waters altogether.

"I'm the only one of my siblings that's still alive. I got to watch them all die." Her voice is small, quiet. A strain to hear but he does. He wraps an arm around her shoulders pulling her in closer. Maybe going out wasn't his best choice.

What does one say to that? How do you offer someone comfort for that? While he may not like all of his 'siblings' at times he doesn't particularly want to see them dead. Jason is at a loss for words. He doesn't know what to say.

"Today is my oldest brother's birthday, he would have been thirty-two. He died the year before I moved to Gotham when I was home from my deployment. We were at an event my parents were throwing in Nor'leans, a charity auction. I'm sure you can probably figure out what happened. Seeing as it happens often enough in Gotham." Jason squeezed her shoulder. Yeah he could. He'd help stop enough of them during his days as Robin.

"He pushed me under a table and I got to watch him bleed to death. We were the last two, it was just us left. Some things just don't leave you, they stay and they haunt you for the rest of your life." He leans down, his nose lips and chin brushing against the top of her head.

"Don't go to stay. Come back to me Car." Jason whispers, begging even. He knows what that's like. Knows the place she's coming from. Some memories, some things you can't run from forever.

 **XOXOX**

 **I'm going to end this here. This has a part two that happens like five minutes after this but I want it to be its own chapter so I'm going to be posting at least two chapters right now. Please let me know what you think of both.**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	8. 8

**.8**

Alfred Pennyworth has seen many a strange thing in his time. Being the butler for the Wayne family the cause of most of it. Bruce even from a young age was always getting into the oddest of things, and while seeing resurrected Jason Todd out in broad daylight while unnerving in its own right considering the world around him it would not be called strange. Jason lived in Gotham still, and even if the young master was at outs with the rest of the family didn't mean he couldn't go about his own business in the city where they all lived.

It is what Jason is doing that is strange.

Now Alfred had not the intention of running into Jason today. Unlike the rest of them Alfred did not have a problem with the lost son. He of course missed the boy no doubt, but he didn't hold any ill feelings towards him. Why would he? When Jason had yet to do anything to him. His actions while upsetting and spiteful at times could in fact be understanding yet misguided. All Alfred had wanted was to stop by the park for a bit of peace before picking up Damian from school. Bruce was forcing the academy on the boy and so far it wasn't going well.

"Jason Todd put me down right now!" Alfred heard the young lady cry, more like laugh as she struggled to get down.

That's right Jason was walking through the park with a girl on his back. A strange sight indeed. Alfred watches from his spot on the bench as Jason turns to look over his shoulder. Smiling at her.

"Don't you trust me Car?" There is a lightness in his tone. Alfred misses whatever she says in response his surprise getting the best of him.

He can't help it, Alfred stand fixing his coat and taking a step in their direction. It's been so long since he's seen Jason look that happy. The old man clears his throat loud enough to catch their attention. Jason almost drops the girl, his eyes widen and he appears to look like a dear caught in headlights. Alfred almost regrets his decision. "Young master Jason, is that anyway to treat a lady?" The butler ask pushing his previous thought aside.

The look on Jason's face smooths over as the girl rest her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped firming around his neck. Jason laughs in a way that seems painful and happy all at the same time. "If only there was a lady around." He tries to crack a joke, Alfred watches with an amused look in his eye as the brunette pinches his cheek.

"Rude." Jason lets her go and she lands gracefully next to him, standing at full height, head barely reaching the top of Jason's shoulders. She extends a hand out to the old man. The dark haired male whines at her rubbing his cheek.

"Thank you for trying to save my dignity. I'm Carlisle." Alfred accepts her hand offering her a small smile.

"A pleasure to meet you miss, you may call me Alfred." He meant it too. Anyone who could get Jason to act like his old self was alright in his book.

"So what are you doing here Alfie?" There is suspicion in Jason's eyes as he ask the question. He crosses his arms over his chest, guarded. It pangs the old man to see him like that.

"Just admiring the clouds sir. I must be going, it was nice meeting you young lady. Don't be a stranger Master Jason." Alfred turns walking away from the pair. He hears Jason mumble what sounded like a goodbye and his companion scold him for being rude. The butler doesn't mind it so much, that was just Jason.

Although he did stop to wonder if Bruce realized his wayward son had a girlfriend or not. A question for another day.

 **XOXOX**

 **This literally takes place a few minute after the last chapter, I'm not sure how we went from angst to here but eh.. Which is why I didn't post them as one chapter with a break. Please let me know what you think!**

 **The next chapter is probably going to be a lot longer or it's going to be split up into parts so we will see.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	9. 9

**.9**

The first time Carlisle meets the rest of the Robins, is all at once, almost a year into their relationship. All of them are in costume, and it takes place after a rather bad night out. Jason practically lived at her apartment these days and if you asked Roy or Kori they would tell you they were dating. They weren't, not in any sort of official capacity. But they did go out and do what would be considered couple-y things from time to time. So it's no wonder that when he gets shot on patrol somehow all the Robins past and present, plus a batgirl? and one extremely pissed off Arsenal end up in her very small apartment.

Roy was back in forth between Gotham and Star these days. Something about asshole mentors and rich people. He'd been the one to let her know they were coming. Nothing fancy, just a quick text letting her know Jason had been shot and they had birds.

She doesn't even spare any of them a glance as Arsenal comes through the window hoisting a partially out of it Jason through first. Carlisle rushes over to help. "I cleared the table." Arsenal nods his head trying to calm himself down. Jason would not be happy if he decided to punch Nightwing and he didn't get to see it happen.

"Help me remove the helmet, I need him to lay flat." She commands, knowing better than to try to remove the hood off of Jason's head. That thing could explode if handled improperly.

Carlisle doesn't wait for what she assumes is the rest of the batfamily to get inside. Instead she pulls on her gloves and goes to work. While his wound didn't seem life threatening, Carlisle didn't think Jason wanted to have bullets in him any longer than necessary. "What happened?" She asks over her shoulder while meticulously digging inside the wound in Jason's thigh.

"These idiots." Arsenal snarls. Carlisle raises a brow at him but doesn't comment. Jason groans his eyes snap open from the pain, she'd hoped he would have stayed blacked out for all of this. But of course they would be that lucky. He trashes dangerously, his mind not completely clear.

Some demons don't ever go away. Carlisle doesn't even move. She doesn't flinch, this is not the first time he's had injuries this bad and it's not the first time she has seen the far off look in his eyes. The night they first met was anything to go off of and he'd been in worse shape then. At this point they have both seen each other at what they'd consider their worst.

"Hood, I need you to calm down. You still have bullets in you, I can't have you bleedin' out on my table." Carlisle moves so Jason can see her face, hand still firm on his thigh, she uses the other to touch his shoulder. Pushing him back lightly.

"Car." He breathes. Her name sounds like saving grace on his tongue as if she's his last life line to earth. Jason visibly calms. She offers him a smile, one that was just for him and then retracts her hand from his shoulder so she can finish stitching him up.

When all three bullets are removed and subsequently stitched up Carlisle turns to look at the group gathered in her apartment. All with varying looks of surprises and disbelief. Instead of commenting she helps Jason get up from the table, hands no longer covered in blood. "This wasn't what I had in mind when you said you wanted me to meet your family." She whispers to him and despite the situation he laughs. Which just turns into a painful groan, because he'd been shot and god did that hurt. Carlisle forces him into one of the wooded chairs.

And then like the good friend Roy is he turns around and just decks who Carlisle is going to assume is Nightwing. Right in the first Robin's face. There is a loud crunching noise, and the boy wonder falls backwards. Carlisle pinches the bridge of her nose. Robin who she's sort of met and what she thought was a batgirl try to retaliate.

"For the love of god! Not in my apartment. Take your argument outside!" Everyone freezes, as if they had somehow forgotten about her. They all look at her like she's grown a third head. Where the second one had already come from she doesn't know.

Carlisle takes a deep breath. Reminds herself that throwing things at emotionally stunted vigilantes was not the way to go and instead runs a hand through the top of her hair. Silently cursing Jason's stupid siblings.

"Alright, enough. I'm not 'bout to listen to y'all argue. Arsenal take a walk, Nightwing I can set your nose while someone explains what the hell happened." Carlisle makes a gesture for Nightwing to take a seat on the coffee table. The former Robin gets up with the help of the taller of the two boys. Arsenal glares at her and she makes a shewing motion, reluctantly the red clad archer heeds her order climbing out the window and down the fire escape moments later.

"I'm surprised he listened." Jason comets from behind her, Carlisle rolls her eyes. Honestly so was she.

"Start talking, someone other than Nightwing. Or I'm kicking you all out." Jason smirks at his siblings. Seemed like they were going to experience Carlisle temper tonight. No one makes a move to say anything, Carlisle narrows her eyes at the masked heroes. They don't even fidget under her heated look. Disappointing.

"Tt. We don't have to explain ourselves to you woman." Robin snaps, Carlisle takes another deep breath. He is a child, a petulant child at that. She tries to remind herself. He's lashing out because the situation makes him nervous or uncomfortable. Yelling and getting angry will not help. Even if it would make her feel better.

"Actually you do, since you invited yerself in to my home unannounced." Her voice is level, Jason gives her some credit here because he was certain she was going to snap at them.

"I'm go'na give you to the count of ten to explain to me why you brought a bullet ridden Red Hood to me at 2:30 in the god damn morning or I'm go'na call Batman and let y'all explain it to 'em." Ooh, she was not happy, her accent slipping through just so making it all the more easily to tell. Then she looked down at Nightwing whose nose was still broken and without any warning snaps it back in to place. The oldest lets out a startled cry. His hand going straight to his nose.

"A little warning would have been nice." He hisses. Carlisle doesn't even offer him an apology.

Robin continues to glare at her. The red on and the girl both raise a brow in her direction. "As if you could." Carlisle gives the child the nastiest glare she can manage and then turns to look at Jason.

"Hood, hand me your phone." Jason can't help but to smirk at her, sure he doesn't really want her to call Bruce but damn was this entertaining as hell. He does as he's asked. She scrolls through the contact list until she comes to the one marked at B, turning the screen around to show the group.

"Five seconds." She warns. The last one she's going to give them.

Red Robin sighs. He looks at Nightwing for permission and when the first Robin nods he starts talking. "Alright. Don't call Batman." Carlisle makes a go ahead motion and then hands the phone back to Jason. By this point he has gotten up and limped over to the couch then. He accepts it easily with his free hand, one arm tied securely in a sling.

"We were tailing Red Hood and got in the middle of a job." Red Robin tells it straight and to the point, offering no other explanation. Hoping to appease her with that. Carlisle looks back at Jason to confirm what was just said and he nods. She sighs again, Arsenal's comment from earlier making sense. Idiots. Jason's jobs were a lot different than what they were use too, or so she would assume.

Red Hood didn't exactly follow the rules. She got the feeling that he didn't know what they were.

"Okay, and how did Hood end up getting shot? Cause I'm sure y'all are all sneaky enough to not have gotten in the way unless yer just stupid or somethin' else happened." Obviously not one to be taken lightly Carlisle prods them. Accent getting thicker by the second. Not at all appeased by the short answer given. Carlisle doesn't deal in half c

"Cause if that was just the case then Arsenal wouldn't 'ave decked Nightwing. I don't like being lied to Red, so either the whole truth or I'm still go'na follow through with my prev'us threat." Seemed like she wasn't pulling any punches either. Jason was really glad she was on his side.

"They didn't trust my judgement on a call. Things got messy, and I got shot." She turns to look back at him, taking in his appearance, frowning slightly that he was leaned over the top of the couch. Not at all happy with him moving about. Maybe she should order him to bed rest. Ha, as if that would actually work.

"So then why did they all come here? Arsenal could have carried your stupid self all the way 'ere and we wouldn't even be haven' this discussion." She narrowed her eyes at him then. Carlisle did not like whatever they were keeping from her.

"They don't trust him, or me." Arsenal says from the window, two cups of coffee in one hand as he climbs back into the small apartment. He walks past the three standing, Nightwing who hasn't moved from the table and straight to Carlisle. Handing over one of the cups to her. Eyes widened just slightly at him then and then narrowed once more at the group. The he slips around the couch handing the other cup to Jason and then to the kitchen. He must have drank his before coming back.

"Really?!" Completely outraged by this statement. She looks at them with wide baffled eyes. Did they not? Oh god…

"What's it even matter to you." The batgirl? says rather defensively. Carlisle looks at her, then looks back at Jason and Roy who seemed to be interested in what she'll do next. Roy had taken to raid her pantry but looked up when the blonde started speaking.

"Oh my lord, are y'all really that dumb? I can't... unbelievable." Carlisle runs her hand over her face, followed by taking a sip of the coffee. Trying to collect herself.

"You don't know what he's done." Red Robin tries to say, to defend them to this woman they don't even know. Well they did know her, but they weren't aware she knew Jason outside of his civilian self. She just blankly stares at him then, the grip on the cup tightens. Carlisle takes a step around the coffee table, fist clenching at her side.

The audacity of these people. "He's dangerous." The blonde says. Jason should be glad she liked him or else she would have thrown something or maybe shot someone. Her gun was in a rather reachable place.

"Get out." Carlisle seethes. Jason is actually startled by the tone of her voice. He's never heard her sound this angry, and they watched Walking Dead together that show always seemed to be pissing her off. Him too. But he'd never heard her sound this upset. Roy stops his rummaging, dropping something from the sounds of it.

Carlisle angry just wasn't something they were used to seeing. The brunette didn't do angry. It wasn't who she was.

"You cannot just tell us to leave after you have demanded answers." Spoiler speaks again and Jason can tell by the stance Carlisle takes it was a bad choice. Carlisle throws her hand up, exasperation and anger boiling under her skin. Coffee splashing from the top of the cup. Finally she can't hold back any more.

"God, just listen to yourself, this is ridiculous. This is my apartment, I don't know you, yet you come in here with your judgmental looks and accusing tones. Didn't even bother to ask if he was alright. You make it sound like Hood is some sort of villain yet from where I'm standing you four are the bad guys. Now I'm in a forgiving mood so I won't consider this breaking and entering but get the fuck out of my home." She's seething, and either they haven't ever seen such raw human emotion or just any display of rage makes them uncomfortable because all four of them become very defensive. No one moves. The room stills.

Carlisle looks at them, and then back to Jason and Roy, and then back at them before quickly turning on her heal and heading for the front door. She didn't trust herself not to shoot any of them at that moment and if they weren't going to leave then she wasn't going to stay. Carlisle rushed past Jason who makes an attempt to stop her and out the door slamming it loudly behind her. Idiots. Every single last one of them.

In that moment she really hated vigilantes.

 **XOXOX**

 **This chapter. THIS CHAPTER! A lot is going on here. Wow, just wow. I'll be honest, I'm sort of a casual fan of Batman comics so a lot of what I take I have to go back and research. I hope I'm portraying everyone alright. Please let me know what you think. This is a part one and will be continued.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	10. 10

**.10**

Jason stares at the closed door for several long seconds. He runs his hand over his still masked face, reminds himself to take a breath and count to ten. It doesn't help the quill his anger. His siblings also haven't just magically disappeared in that time either. "Roy, go make sure Car doesn't hurt herself or someone else." The first thing he manages to say. Turning his attention to Arsenal and away from the quartette of bats.

"You going to be okay by yourself?" Roy question picking up his discarded bow and heading towards the door. Jason shakes his head.

"I'm fine. I won't be if something happens to her though." He doesn't wait for Roy's rebottle instead he turns to look back at his siblings. All watching him carefully, waiting to see what he'll do. Shooting one of them was beginning to sound like a nice idea. The door clicks softly this time behind Roy as he heads out to find their girl.

"Does she know that you're playing her?" His replacement asks, and Jason has to raise his brow. What the fuck was he talking about? The question must have been easy to see by his expression because Tim feels the need to clarify.

"I saw you two at Rosa's." Ah, so his little brother had seen him out in the daytime. How had he missed that?

"Rosa's has good coffee. Car likes the breakfast quiche." He says instead, ignoring the questioning looks and raised brows he's getting from the four of them. Jason limps around the couch and takes a seat across from his older brother who hadn't moved from his spot sitting on the coffee table. Nose set but bruising. Dick grimaces at him.

Roy nailed him good. He should have felt something more, maybe upset, but Dick had deserved it. So he doesn't. "Does she know about you? Or does she think the person she's dating in daylight is a different man than the one she is stitching up before dawn?" Red Robin's tone is impatient then, nervous even. Jason lets him sit on it.

This wasn't how he wanted them to find out. Honestly if he had his way they never would have met. Carlisle was already too good for him, he really didn't want her to meet his family. Alfred had been enough and that had come about by pure chance. "I can't seem to remember, I think I hit my head really hard earlier when I took that bullet for the demon spawn." One of three he'd taken that night. Each by pushing one of his stupid ass brothers out of the line of fire. Idiots.

"Tt, you didn't hit the ground that hard Todd." He gave the boy a shit eating grin then, laughing silently at the perplexed look he got in return from the current Robin.

"How long has this-" Nightwing makes a motion to the apartment living room and then to Jason. "-been going on?" His tone level, if not a bit nasally from the break. Jason shrugs with his good shoulder.

"I pretty sure she asked you to leave." He mutters, still not answering their questions, still giving them the run around. Dick sighs. They aren't going to get any answers from him tonight.

"This isn't over Jason." The oldest says, an underlying warning in his tone. When Bruce finds out. Even if he doesn't say it, Jason can hear it. He waves them off and watches as they leave the way they came. Jason would burn that bridge when he got there.

Now, to check in with Roy. He needed to make sure Carlisle was alright. She'd been livid.

He gets a hold of Roy on the second ring. The archer assures him that Carlisle is in fact fine, he'll be heading back with her soon and then hangs up. Once assured of the brunette's safety Jason lays his head back on the couch. Closing his eyes for a moment. His head pounding from the dying adrenalin and pain.

..

Roy carried Carlisle back to the apartment. He found her sitting on a park bench a few blocks from her building crying. Now he and Jason had been friends for a long while, and while he was angry she was seemed to be devastated by the whole situation. Which he didn't really understand. Jason hadn't told her the identities of the others so she had no way to know they were technically adopted siblings, of course that didn't stop her from making educated guesses.

Carlisle always seemed to win when they played guessing games.

She had her head rested on his shoulder then, his arms under her legs carrying her on his back. They gave her hell all the time for her small stature but in situations like this carrying her was a breeze. Carlisle weighed maybe a hundred and twenty pounds. If he was being giving.

"They hurt him. I hate seeing him in pain." She whispers. Roy understood that feeling.

"He's hurt them too Car. It's not a one a way street." He wished he didn't have to play the devil's advocate here. But he needed to make sure she understood. Roy didn't think Jason would appreciate it if she tried to get into anymore arguments with his siblings again.

Don't get him wrong. He was angry at Dick, angry at the rest of them for not trusting Jason's judgement for not giving him a chance. But he understood where they were coming from. Jason wasn't always trust worthy, he didn't play by the rules, and while they got on great now because of these things they hadn't always.

"Doesn't matter how complicated it is Artie, at the end of it their still family. A bat family maybe, but family none the less." Her nickname for his alter ego slips off her tongue and he has to remember there still out in the open. He can't risk saying anymore now. Roy shakes his head but he doesn't say anything else.

No use fighting with someone who'd already made their mind up. Carlisle's building comes into view. He sets her down, they walk side by side in silence. At the front door to the building he leaves her.

"Goodnight Car."

"Night Artie, tell Star hello for me." He nods, taking out his bow and shoot at one of the building. Carlisle watches as the grapple pulls him away. Dramatic idiot.

She wasn't stupid, she knew he had a point and was in fact right. Forgiveness was a two way street. But these people were just so stunted in the emotions department that the only thing she could do was watch them continue to hurt Jason.

Carlisle didn't like seeing him in pain.

Slowly she pushes the door open to her apartment. Praying that everyone except Jason has left. She couldn't handle it if they were all still there. While relatively calm now, she still didn't trust herself to not do something stupid. Ignorance got under her skin more than anything else, along with intolerance.

Instead to her great relief she is met by the sound of Jason's loud snoring. She shuts the door quietly behind her. Walking over to the couch carefully, she sits in the small space left by his waist. He'd removed the sling she noticed. Jason opens one eye, wrapping his good arm around her pulling her down to his chest. "You shouldn't have run."

Carlisle protest. But only because the couch was too small for them both to be laying on. They should move to the bed, there was a lot more room on the queen sized mattress than on her couch. Instead Jason makes room for her to lay next him. It's an uncomfortable fit but it almost works.

"I didn't think you'd appreciate me shooting one of them. 'Sides how was I going to explain that one to the GCPD?" She responds reaching up to touch his cheek.

His mask was still in place. Sweat still on his brow, hair sticking to his forehead. "Or to B. I can't believe you threatened to call him." Jason laughs, it's not a good choice as it causes him to groan from the pain. There was a hole in his shoulder, nothing broken luckily, his upper arm had been grazed, and there was a hole in his thigh. Not to mention those had all happened at different times and just general beatings taken on patrol.

Of course he was sore. Would be for a few days.

"Don't laugh, you'll hurt yourself. Your siblings were being ridiculous. I used to threaten to call my parents whenever they weren't home and my brothers and sister were being brats to me. It worked didn't it." She sits up so she can look down at his face. Jason smirks at her.

"Would you have called him if it hadn't?" He wonders. Carlisle grins at him.

"I don't know, would you have let me?" Jason bites his lip, chewing on it. Would he have stopped her? She shakes her head at him.

"You need to get out of these clothes. Do you have any other injuries I should know about?" Jason sits up then which as causes him to push Carlisle who slides off the couch lading on the mosaic carpet with a slight glare. This was what she was talking about.

"Aw Car you should just be honest when you want to get me naked. You know I'm always down." He teases, her glare intensifies and her cheeks light up. She smacks his good arm.

"Ass."

"A damn fine one too."

 **XOXOX**

 **Please forgive me if I have made Carlisle to mary-sueish I will try to fix it. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and the last one. There is one more part to this part. I'll try to get it posted quickly.**

 **Thank you all for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	11. 11

**.11**

Carlisle doesn't officially meet any of them until three weeks later, not all at once. The reason for their meeting is simple. Jason. He asks her to accompany him to a party. Whose party you may be wondering, it wasn't actually important, just that Jason needed to go to find out some information for a new case. It takes a while for her to agree considering the last formal event she attended was the one her brother died at. But at the last minute she does.

It's for Jason. She tells herself, and lately she's beginning to realize she'd do almost anything for him. What neither of them realize though when deciding to go that the other Wayne boys will also be attending, with their father. It seemed she was really going to get to meet the family.

Jason puts on the persona of a rich aristocrat easily enough, years of watching Bruce do it paying off. For Carlisle it's like turning on a light. While she may have been out of that scene for coming on three years it's not a hard mask to put back on. Rich people had the tendency to be so self-absorbed that they didn't notice a slight of hand. Her parents were.

Also she loved any excuse to dress up. Give her a break the woman had to wear scrubs most of the time.

She looked over at Jason, in the driver seat of her car. He looked nice. His usually unruly black hair had been slicked back, with the exception of a few white strands that had stubbornly fallen. Nice dark blue suit tailored just for him, she hadn't even realized he owned one that nice and he'd taken out his earing. Which she was slightly sad to see go.

He looked over at her, she smiled turning her head back to look out the window. Jason took in the softness of her features. She was picturesque. Hair curled and pinned up, makeup was natural but done skillfully. He'd seen the dress she picked once or twice when she'd go through her closet for something or another. Mauve in color, one shouldered, it flattered her figure.

Jason thought she looked beautiful.

There arrival at the party doesn't go completely unnoticed by a few members of high society already there. Carlisle's family wasn't from Gotham, but they had been well known among the 1%. She was the only living child of Marcel and Jeralean Tollar. They were familiar with her face. Jason was lucky, as sick as that sounded, that he didn't look much like he used too or else this could have been worse.

Instead he got to play boyfriend to the former princess of New Orleans. A title she'd been given as a child and had given up when she decided to be a functional member of society.

She clung to his arm the moment he opened the car door for her. He was her anchor, if she let go she might fly away. Jason knew these sorts of things held bad memories for her which was why when he asked he first stressed that she didn't have too.

"Why don't we start with a drink?" He suggest, knowing she was going to need it. They both were.

"Good idea." She does manage to smile at him. Which was a plus in his book. Hopefully he could get what he needed quickly and then they could leave.

Contrary to what Jason and the others might have believed. There wasn't a lot that he missed when concerning his children. Especially since learning of Jason's resurrection and the subsequent fall out. You can bet without any doubt that Bruce Wayne was in fact keeping up with his wayward son's activities. He was the world's greatest detective.

Now he did not in fact have any intention of getting involved. He had learned from past experience that unless what Jason was doing going to hurt someone or himself that he did not need to intervene. What his son was doing with the young woman was not hurting anyone. Or at least it hadn't proved to be a danger yet.

She was making sure that Jason stayed in his current state of living and Bruce for once was perfectly okay with that. So he was going to trust Jason's judgement for once. He was not getting involved.

The only reason beside social obligation he had for attending this event was the fact there was a rumor of a new drug ring among the upper class and it was beginning to get out of hand. He hadn't realized that Jason would be looking into the same thing. Or that he'd be willing to go so far as to come to this party to investigate.

A minor overlook on his part.

Dick's reaction of seeing his brother in public with what appeared to be a high status girl one his arm had been one for the books. What he didn't know was that Dick and his others sons had already been acquainted with Carlisle Tollar and she'd left an interesting impression on them. Bruce raises a brow at his oldest, Dick closes him mouth.

"That's Jason." He points out the obvious, and it takes a lot out of the billionaire not to sigh. Before he has a chance to respond both Tim and Damian appear at either side of him. Damian pushing himself between his father and Grayson.

Bruce holds up his hand silencing them before they even have a chance. "Yes that is Jason. No I was not aware he would be here." He meets each of their gazes then. No they weren't going to do anything, yet, stop bothering him. There was a job to do.

Jason groans, downing his entire glass. Carlisle even in heels still has to look up at him. Eyes worried. "Jay are you okay?" She preens. He rubs a hand over his face.

"Yeah, I didn't realize they would be here." He makes a subtle motion to where the entire Wayne family was gathered. Carlisle looks at them and then back at him, only slightly confused. She had a suspicion but Jason had neither confirmed nor denied said suspicion so she couldn't be sure.

"That's Bruce Wayne." She states. Jason looks at her from the corner of his eye. A moment of sudden realization. He'd never given her that information, only that he'd been taken in by Batman. Not Bruce Wayne. Batman.

Even after all this time he still tried to protect the old man. Robin always looked out for Batman.

"Bruce is legally my father." He tells her quietly. Carlisle hides her surprise well. She hadn't expected him to say anything.

"We can leave. Go get greasy diner food and go take a walk through the park." Carlisle offers him a very nice sounding out, he squeezes her arm. Offers her a smile and shakes his head.

"Maybe later. I'm alright. Besides I want to see how long it will take you to tell someone off. You seemed about ready to bite that ladies head off just then." He teases and she discreetly pinches him. Jason just laughs.

Whatever rebuttal she had is cut short by someone approaching them. "Carlisle Tollar is that you?" A blonde male, probably a few years older than them speaks. Carlisle takes a small step closer to Jason. His eyes narrow just slightly at the man. He could feel the air around her change.

"Aw don't be shy sweetheart, it me Elijah Marques. Remember." She stares at him as if she wished to set him on fire. He takes a step closer. Jason steps slightly in front of her then squaring his shoulders. Carlisle lays a hand on his arm. Their eyes meet and she shakes her head.

"I'm not shy, and I haven't forgotten. I thought you were incarcerated down in A'lanta on a rape charge." He wisely takes a step back. Jason's imposing figure and the steal in her voice help. Carlisle's eyes on fire.

"You've been out of the loop for a while sweetheart, those charges were rightfully dropped." He smirks at her. Carlisle inhales through her nose, her hand touching Jason's arm shakes.

"How convenient for you. It must be nice to have a father so rich that he can get you out of an airtight case and then ship you across the country so you don't cause him any more embarrassment." Jason wasn't sure how she knew this guy but it was very clear that Carlisle was not a fan.

His fist clenches at his side, becoming red in the face. This wasn't what he had expected to happen the audacity. She was not the docile girl he remembered. "You cunt!" Is all he manages to get out, and then he's staggering backward handing going up to touch the stinging flesh of his cheek.

Carlisle looked back at Jason taking in his expression. It was a mix of outrage, surprise, and satisfaction. She shot cheeky grin at him. "That is how long it takes." Mirthful she tries to joke. Her back turned she doesn't see Elijah move to retaliate. Jason reaches for her pulling back out of the way and close to his chest just as soon as the blonde goes to strike.

Only to be stopped by Bruce Wayne grabbing his arm and twisting behind the young man's back. "I think you have had too much to drink sir. I'd say this young lady was in the right." Jason grip on Carlisle tightens ever so slightly. She keeps her back to them, until she hears someone escort Elijah away. Listening to Bruce freaking Wayne take control of the situation like a complete boss.

Jason stares at the man like he's grown a second head. What was he doing? Instead of trying to figure that one out he turned his attention back to the shaking woman in his arms. She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry." He shakes his head.

"Miss are you alright?" Bruce speaking directly to her then is what pulls her attention away from the look Jason is giving her. She had some explaining to do. Jason doesn't let go of her as she turns around, by now they gained a bit of attention.

Carlisle nods. "I'm fine. Sorry to have disturbed your evening Mr. Wayne." She answer coolly, the socialite mask slowly falling back into place. Her mother would have been appalled by her actions.

The man just offers her a knowing look and a rather fake smile. "No bother, I assure you." He then looks over her head to Jason who has tensed considerably behind her. This was turning out to be a very bad night for them.

"Turns out those chargers he said were dropped weren't." And it just keeps getting worse. Dick says as he joins them, followed closely by the two younger boys. Jason wants to scream. Carlisle placed her hand on top of the one he had rested on her bare shoulder. Giving it a small squeeze, the gesture doesn't go unnoticed.

"Jay I think I need some fresh air. Sorry again Mr. Wayne." She looks up at him. It's an out he gladly takes. Jason carefully leads them away from the prying eyes of the crowd and his family. He knew they'd only get a few minutes of peace before one of those nosy detectives decided to follow. They ducked out using the nearest door. A balcony overlooking a small garden.

Carlisle leaned against the rails eyes looking out to the garden. Her arms wrapped tight around her frame. Jason was leaned the opposite way looking into the venue. While unfortunate what just happened it had given him a real nice opportunity to plant a bug under the refreshment table. One designed to pick up every conversation. But he was only half paying attention to it.

You can guess where the other half of it was. Or who if you wanted him to be real specific.

"Car, what was that?" He finally questions not sure how much more time he'll have before they will be interrupted.

"He's the reason my sister is dead." She closes her eyes, trying to force the tears forming away. Carlisle doesn't regret causing a scene. That man had deserved so much worse. Jason turns his entire focus to her. The objective be damned, there were other ways to get information.

She shifts to be a little closer to him. Leaning her head against his shoulder. He watches the tears silently stream down her face. Once again she's brought him to a loss of words.

Que the interruption he knew was coming.

"He's in Gotham now, and I have the feeling the slew of unsolved assault cases the GCPT has right now will be solved quickly." Carlisle doesn't move at hearing what she assumes is Jason's older brother speak. It's not Bruce that man had a distinct voice, but she doesn't feel up to facing anyone right now. Also Jason goes a different sort of ridged when his siblings are around.

"Go away Dick."

"Just came to check up on you." He says holding his hands out in a surrendering manner. Dick's eyes wonder over to Carlisle she hasn't moved. It's easy to see what his brother sees in her. She whispers something to Jason that Dick doesn't catch. Jason rolls his eyes.

"How's your nose?" Jason asks, Carlisle cracks a smile and snorts lifting her head from his shoulder. Dick narrows his eyes at his brother and at the back of her head. Carlisle turns around then whipping the tears from her eyes.

"Better. It was set well, although the nurse who did it lacked decorum. How's your leg?" He picks his words carefully. Carlisle eyes still watery, and slightly red just grins.

"Healing." Jason responds shortly, crossing his arms over his chest. Were they seriously about to play this game?

The balcony door opens, out steps one Damian Wayne in all his eleven year old glory. "Grayson, father says it's time to get back to work. Stop allowing Todd to distract you." Carlisle can't help it she straight up laughs then. This was too much. All three of them give her an odd look, for completely different reason, Jason tries to hide his smirk.

"Tt. Todd it would appear your girlfriend is broken."

She looks over at Jason eyes begging for his permission. He'd basically handed her the keys earlier with his comment about Bruce being his father. Jason knew she wasn't stupid, they'd been friends for too long for things not to have slipped. Roy and Kori weren't always the best secret keepers either. He knew she would figure it out. His no longer hidden smirk is enough for her.

"I never did get to thank you for calling that ambulance for me." Carlisle speaks quietly, still considerate of their surroundings, and smiles brightly at the child.

Dick's eyes widen, and Damian's expression rages. "You told her!" The boy demands, Jason shakes his head with a smirk. Brat. Carlisle sure knew how to rile them up.

"Sweetie, Jay didn't tell me anything. But you just did. Now go get the other one and we'll make this official." Yeah, Dick can really see what his brother sees in her.

She was something else.

Oh god, what was Bruce going to do when he finds out she knew their secret. The oldest runs his hand over his face groaning. He was so dead. Bruce was going to kill him.

 **XOXOX**

 **I think this is a good place to stop now. Getting to the actual part of the story now. We'll see how it goes. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	12. 12

**.12**

Timothy Drake. Boy genius extraordinaire. Was the only one not surprised she'd figured them out. He was also the only one who had taken a deep look in her life and he'd seen how she did in school and what her IQ was. He hated to admit it, but it was higher than his.

Now they were all crowded into a very small diner booth hours after the party. How they'd ended up here and how she'd gotten it past Bruce he still hadn't figured that part out. Dick grabbed his arm and told him to come with him and that had been all he knew. Then they ended up at Jone's diner. Him, Damian, and Dick crowded in on one side of the booth and then Jason and Carlisle were sitting on the other side. Jason's suit jacket over her shoulders and she's leaned into his side.

She'd been entertaining Damian with a staring contest for the last five minutes while the waited for the food to be brought over. It looked like she was winning. The child blinked, huffing in annoyance and crossed his arms over his chest. Carlisle just smiled at him pleasantly. Tim cleared his throat, gaining her attention. Her brow raised in his direction.

"So how did the two of you even meet?" It was the only thing he couldn't figure out. At this Jason looked away, he'd been silently observing them for a while, Carlisle just grinned.

"Some mysteries are better not solved Timothy."

"So how long have you been a couple." Dick is the one to ask, and she just keeps the pleasant serene smile on her face. The oldest sighs.

"Let me guess. Some mysteries are better not solved." Jason actually snorts.

The table becomes still as a small portly chinese man walks over to the group carrying their plates. Tim watches as Carlisle leans around Jason to talk to the man in freaking cantonese as if he's their old friends. To make it more interesting Jason joins the conversation, still being held in the foreign language. Plates are passed around and the man tells them goodbye. Everyone gives them a strange look.

"How often do you eat here?" Carlisle and Jason both shrug at the question.

"So you aren't planning on answering any of our questions are you?" Tim states, it's not really a question.

"You already know everything about me though. I get a email any time anyone deep dives my information." She states plainly. They all look surprised, even Jason, so he hadn't known that.

"Why?" Jason is the one to ask and Timothy realizes that if it had been any of them she wouldn't have answered.

"Because the last time I was deep dived I was in a hospital for three weeks, and two of my brothers died." Jason wrapped a arm around her shoulders, an offer of comfort that none of them missed. There was something more to this story. Something only Jason seemed to know.

"I'm sure Timothy gave you a bit of my background and I told Jason." He had, sort of, Dick had seen over his shoulder and Damian had demanded answers after that night. She takes in their expressions, giving herself a moment to collect her thoughts.

"But i'll offer you a refresher. My parents and Marcel and Jarelean Tollar, I am their only living child. Which means i am the sole heir, and will inherit the company when they both die. There are a few people who'd like to see my family harm. So it's a good idea for me to keep up to date when anyone starts looking into me." She tells them plainly, a slight edge to her voice as she speaks and a distant look in her eyes. Carlisle tucks a fallen curl behind her ear.

"Tollar Industries is a medical and technological research company correct?" Tim recovers first, blinking and then asking the question to clarify. Carlisle nods.

"Yes, but they do a lot more than that. My father runs that part part of the company the profitable side, while my mother runs a small non-profit backed by Tollar." He nods his head, taking in her answer. Tim opens his mouth to ask another question and she holds up her hand efficiently stopping him.

"Our food is getting cold, and as good of a cook Jone is dinner food is not good cold. Let's finish our meal and then i will answer as many of your questions as i feel like it." He nods, so does Dick and Damian who had been silently watching since she started speaking.

"Great, i'm starved." Carlisle picks up the burger she'd ordered and takes a bite. Jason snickers before eating a fry. They eat around the small talk Dick makes and without any notable incidents. A first really.

..

Carlisle sighs closing the door behind the trio of robins glad for them to be gone. Jason was sitting on the couch, his arms behind his head leaned back with eyes closed. He'd been tense the majority of the night and she's glad to see him semi relaxed. His brothers really did something to him. They'd have to talk about it at some point.

"I thought they were never going to go away." Jason grumbles when she joins him on the couch and she just laughs at his expression.

"They're curious. You've been out of their lives for a long time and now your back. They can't help it. Besides if they ever overstep their bounds in the apartment again i'll just shoot them." She responds grinning wickedly at him. Jason laughs.

"Never change Car, never change." He mutters trying to rein in his laughter.

"Of course not Jay. Obviously i am perfect the way i am." And she ruins it. Jason snorts, laughing a little harder.

She pecks a kiss to his cheek and stands. "I'm going to get ready for bed. If your still planning on patrol then you should get changed." Carlisle says as she walks away. Jason sits there for a minute, his hand going to touch where her lips had just been on his skin. He can't fight the smile that forms on his face. She was going to be the end of him.

Jason gets up soon after he hears the bathroom door close, head down to the bedroom to gather his stuff. She'd given him a drawer and a place in the closet for each set of his life. They were going to need a bigger place if he kept staying over, if not his vigilante things were going to start seeping into their civilian things. The thought came suddenly as he was pulling on his leather jacket. With such a force that he actually stops.

When had he become a they?

 **XOXOX**

 **This chapter was a little weird. I'll be honest i'm not a hundred percent happy with the way it turned out. But it will have to do. The next chapter is going to start a new arc? so this is sort of a transition out of the first meetings for her. I'm going to start touching on Carlisle's home life in the next chapter. After that set i'll move into more of a day by day sort of chapter thing. Next chapter will take place a few weeks after this, i may go back later and do moments for these things that happen in between chapters and whatnot so you can see the everyday workings. Anyway please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	13. 13

**.13**

Regardless of what anyone thought. Carlisle loves her parents, she hadn't left to spite them. She just had to leave. Couldn't stay. When she'd packed up and left New Orleans, she never had any intention of returning. There were too many bad memories there for her. Too much lost life and time. So she left, and never intended to look back. New Orleans was no longer home, it was just a hole, an all consuming hole in her heart. Carlisle couldn't handle it any longer.

It was why after they died, James, Malachi, Garick, Percy, Eloisa, Alexander, all her siblings she couldn't stay. They were nothing more than ghost now, haunting her. She never wanted to go back. Carlisle wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the call she got that morning.

"Carly, baby girl, you need to come home. Your father isn't doing well." She can barely hear the voice on the other end. It hardly registers what being said. Her mind raging.

No.. No.. No.. No.. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't handle losing any more people.

"Thank you for letting me know." Carlisle speaks after a moment of silence hanging up after that. The phone falls from her hand, slipping down and landing face down on the kitchen counter.

Tears build in her eyes, and in the middle of fixing coffee she breaks down. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. Her father he was invincible, he never got sick. How? No. She couldn't believe this. Didn't want to believe this. Believing this meant only one thing for her. One thing that she didn't want to do.

Jason comes through the front door, just at that moment she falls to her knees in the middle of the kitchen. A heartbreaking scream falling from her lips. The door slams behind him and he drops the brown bag of pastries on the ground, racing over to her. His arms around her in an instant. Pulling her close to him, she buries her face in his shoulder. Unable to contain the emotions she feels. He eventually scoops her up and carries her over to the couch.

"Car, whats wrong?" He tries, concern echoing in his voice. She wipes at her tears, breath hitching, trying to calm down. Carlisle forces herself to take several deep breaths. It doesn't seem to do the trick. Her thoughts in shambles.

She pushes herself further into his side, trying to absorb all the comfort he can offer. Anything. Anything to ease the pain she's feeling. The feeling of falling without any sign of landing soon.

"My grandmother called, my father is dying. I need to go back New Orleans." He presses a kiss to her forehead. Runs a hand through her hair, and the other rubs small circles through the back of her shirt. Trying to think of something to say, wishing to know the right words. Coming up short.

"I don't want to go back." She cries, because its the truth, no matter how horrible it makes her sound. How admitting those words makes her feel. Carlisle couldn't watch anymore people she loves die. Her soul couldn't bare it. Not again.

..

Carlisle is quiet the entire plane ride, she is unnervingly quiet. Jason does what he can to fill the silence on the private jet. Telling her stories of his teammates, about his days as Robin, he talks about anything he can think of. Anything to make her smile or be of the hollow of a person, a shell of herself. He knows how bad this is for her. She'd told him her story.

They all had their demons. Her demons were ghost and they all buried here, New Orleans was nothing but a graveyard to her. Like Gotham had been for him in so many ways, and yet it was also completely different. Gotham was his grave, he had literally died there, the physical grave still stood. Jason Todd was dead, all that remained was the Red Hood. At least he told himself that. Carlisle would have disagreed. Told him off for being stubborn and reminded him that he was alive.

Her silence continues all the way to the rental. He was surprised that she insisted to drive, and even more surprised when she cracked a small smile and spoke. Defending her decision. "You ain't prepared for Louisiana drivers hun. Sorry Jay, but it's better if you let me." And then she slides into the driver's side and that's the end of the discussion.

In Gotham people drove like they were in a hurry all day, every day, and that getting somewhere was a matter of life and death. But they still paid attention to their surrounding, because in Gotham you never knew when something ridiculous was going to happen. He realized as soon as they pulled away from the airport what she meant.

It was a completely different wheelhouse here.

Driving in New Orleans, was not like anything he'd ever experienced. Jason had driven in lots of different and busier places than this. But honestly watching her weave through traffic, almost get hit by an eighteen wheeler merging without looking, and not hit any of the way to old to driving old ladies without even flinching. Carlisle doesn't even blink, she just applied enough pressure to the breaks when needed and went on like this was a normal occurrence as if she hadn't just spent the last two years out of the city.

"My parents own a two bedroom condo in the Quarter, it's where we will be staying however long this takes. But right now we are heading to the upper Garden District, it's where they live and where I spent most of my childhood." She tells him as she drives.

"Mama wanted us to stay there, but I told her it wasn't gon'a happen, fifteen minutes away was closest I'm gon'a to get to stayin' in that 'ouse. They're excited to meet you though. Despite the circumstances. Apparently since meeting you the letters I write them have gotten cheerier or whatever." When she finds her voice she rambles. Jason doesn't particularly mind since he preferred it over her silence. He does have to ask.

"You told them about me?" She looks at him from the corner of her eye, taking in his bewildered expression and laughs.

"Jason you've been in my life for over a year, you are my best friend and I love you of course i told them about you." He stills at her words, Carlisle raises a brow at him.

"You love me?" He sputters, not expecting her to have said that. Carlisle was constantly surprising him. She smiles serenely, eyes still plastered on the road and nods.

"Why wouldn't i?" Jason takes a moment, he leans back into the passenger seat. Carlisle does her best not to laugh. She knew he was bad with emotion, bad with feelings, it's why they never made anything official between them. But she also knew that they'd gone way past just friends months ago and their relationship had evolved.

"Huh." He whispers. Carlisle just smiles.

She doesn't need him to say it back, she knows how he is and she doesn't want to push him. But she wants him to know. Needs him to know. There can't be anymore unspoken words. There were to many of them as is. Even if he doesn't love her back, even if his feelings are different she still needs him to know. Because she's selfish, because she doesn't want to regret anything else.

"Carlisle." She shifts her eyes over to him carefully, stopped at a light, her name sounds breathless on his lips.

"I love you too."

Her smile just widens.

 **XOXOX**

 **AHHHH! So much emotion! This chapter was going to be longer but i decided to just split it up into a small arc. Disclaimer. I am not from New Orleans, I did not grow up there, however I did grow up about two hours from the city and have been there many times in my life. Driving in New Orleans is not for the light hearted , it's extremely chaotic and probably worse than driving in any other big area. People are either in a rush or going snail's pace there is no in between, truck drivers don't give a damn about anyone else and it can be really confusing getting around as street signs aren't always visible. Getting out of Louis Armstrong airport is hard, and always backed up. End of disclaimer thing.**

 **Please let me know what you thought of this chapter.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	14. 14

**.14**

Jason wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to expect. He knew Carlisle's family had money, he'd done his research, and she had told him the truth. But honestly he really hadn't expected this. She'd turned down a road that only had a few houses on either side of the street. The homes themselves were what you thought of when someone said old southern homes. There was a singular house that the street dead ended to, it was every bit as picturesque as the rest of the homes. A two story mansion in the middle of a large city on what was as least two acres. He knew it was hers from a picture he'd seen once in passing, of an old article she had buried under a bunch of mail. Except seeing it in person, well it was a tad overwhelming.

"There are nine main bedrooms in the house, a separate staff quarters, and full ballroom." He mutters. She cracks a smile at his joking tone.

"Actually there are only six bedrooms, staff quarters is a yes but it's attached, no to the ballroom, but there is a pool." Carlisle tells him as she pulls into the long driveway. How this house worked in the middle of this city he really didn't understand. She puts the car in park, and they get out.

She leads him up a wrapping stairwell to the front door. Jason works to take his jacket off, understanding now why exactly she'd insisted on changing on the plane. It was just about noon now and the humidity alone was about to toast him. How had she stood this? Carlisle glanced over her shoulder and laughed.

"I thought I told you to leave your jacket at home."

"It was barely 60 degrees in Gotham when we left. 60 degrees Car." He complains, all she can do is shake her head. She did warn him.

He throws the jacket over his shoulder glad for the plain t-shirt he'd worn under. They finally stopped just short of the front door, he watched Carlisle suck in a breath before she knocked. Not even a whole minute passed before the door opened inwards and they were greeted by an old woman with graying hair. The woman's expression morphed, a huge smile taking over her entire face. She pulls Carlisle into an embrace while exclaiming. "Little Carly has come home."

Jason gives her some credit, she doesn't even flinch easily wrapping her arms around the older woman.

"Constance, it's good to see you." Constance, now identified, pulls away from the young woman places her hands on Carlisle's shoulders and kisses both of her cheeks. Then she turns sharp gray eyes to him and Jason isn't sure what to expect.

"Oh little Carly, he's far more handsome then your letters made him seem." Jason raises a brow a her , Carlisle shrugs her shoulders and offers him a semi-apologetic look.

The old woman then realizes they're still standing on the stoop and ushers them inside quickly closing the door behind. Saying something along the line of not letting all the cool air out and whatnot. "Come in, come in. Your folks are in the den, Mercel is havin' a better day today. Up and about. Were glad you're home." Constance squeezes Carlisle hand before letting the poor girl go completely.

Carlisle doesn't make any mention that this is not a permanent thing, instead she lets the old woman lead them through the house. Jason just follows behind slowly taking in his surroundings and doing his best to just be there if she needed him.

In the den on two opposing couches are what he assumes are her parents. Neither have noticed their entrance yet, intertwine in a conversation completely in what can almost be considered french. There is an IV connected to the aging man, who other than that appears to be healthy. Carlisle smiles in their direction and holds up her hand when Constance goes to announce their presence. "Mama, Papa,-" and then shoots off a sentence in the same bastardized french that Jason only manages to catch every other word. Not really paying attention.

Marcel and Jeralean Tollar turn their heads quickly, whipping them around to look in the direction of what could have only been Carlisle's soft voice. Jeralean's eyes widen at the sight of her daughter. It's been two years without any actual contact, time had changed her. Carlisle looked healthier than she'd been, and had gain back some of the weight she'd lost after James' death. The woman gets up quickly and runs over to them stopping just in front of Carlisle reaching out to place a hand on her cheek. As if to assure herself of the girls presence. "My baby." She breathes and then wraps both arms around her daughter pulling her close.

"Love, there is no need to suffocate her." Marcel calls from his spot, smiling at the back of his wife's head. He then adds. "Don't think you can keep her all to yourself."

Jason realizes that even with all the loss this family had suffered there was still an abundance of love. He half expected resentment or something from Carlisle's parents. Most would have been bitter if there only child left them. But instead there seemed to just be understanding. It wasn't what he'd been expecting at all, and for some reason he kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. To used to the harsh reality that was life.

Jeralean pulls away and turns her attention on him, her eyes narrow in a similar manner he'd seen Carlisle do when she was trying to figure something out or if she was about to say something you better listen too. Carlisle rolls her eyes at the look her mother is no doubt giving Jason and reaches out to touch to woman's shoulder. "Mama, I'm sure Jay doesn't appreciate you sizing him up like that. I didn't bring him here for you to harass him." The woman huffs, rolling her eyes then.

"He's quiet. Too quiet." Carlisle just shakes her head, seemed like she'd been doing a lot of that.

"Lena your daughter is right, leave the boy alone and bring our daughter over here." The woman looks over at her husband and sighs. Jeralean turns and makes a motion for them both to follow. Carlisle waits for Jason to take a step forward and then wraps one of her arms around him. He looks down at her, startled, but not really that surprised. She always reached for him he noticed when things made her uncertain and uncomfortable. Always.

He didn't mind.

Jeralean settles in a antique arm chair, and Carlisle leads them to the couch her mother had been sitting on when they'd come in. Jason sits beside her. She tucks herself into his side.

Marcel smiles at them both, eyes tired, but seemingly content. "You look well my darling girl. Your mother tells me you are working as a nurse these days." Carlisle nods.

"I am, I work for Gotham general three days a week and then I volunteer at the local community center three days a week as well." He nods his head at her answer.

"Very good, very good. I like to hear that you are still helping people. And what is it that you do young man? My daughter hasn't been very forthcoming about your work." Jason offered the man a pleasant grin. Nothing like an interrogation from a concerned father. A first for him personally but it was still entertaining.

"Freelance security." He answers mirthfully, a half truth.

"Papa please, like I just told mama, I didn't bring Jay here for either of you to interrogate him." The old man just grins at her good naturedly. And then continues anyway, Jason goes along with it.

 **XOXOX**

 **WARNING! I have started writing chapters in google docs because my computer is broken right now. I apologize for any spelling and grammar errors right now. That is all.**

 **Please let me know what you think of this chapter.**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	15. 15

. **15**

"The tracker you placed on Jason has him located in the French Quarter of New Orleans." Dick in full Nightwing attire states, concern lapping in his voice. Not completely sure what was going on with his little brother these days. Bruce doesn't even look up. He's in the middle of typing and honestly that was yesterday's news.

"His girlfriend, who I know you've met, is from there Dick. Why are you surprised?" He points out, still typing. Then tacks on the question after a second of thought.

"How long have you known about her?" Dick wonders out loud instead of answering. He wasn't really surprised by it, not really. It was just a strange thought. Jason in New Orleans.

Bruce sighs, pushing away from the bat computer and turns to look at his eldest. "For a while. Why does it matter?" Why do you care so much? He asks. Not really understanding his son's interest in the girl. Jason was an adult, he could make his own decision about who he spent his time with. Even if Bruce didn't agree with all of them.

He was trying not to think about it. Trying his best to stay out of it. It wasn't his place. It wouldn't be his place until it somehow proved to be a problem for them. Since it has yet to do so, he was staying away.

"Honestly, I just worry about him. His life hasn't been easy Bruce." No thanks to you, Bruce can't help but to hear. Regardless if Dick hadn't actually said or meant it like that.

There aren't a lot of things that Bruce Wayne regrets. Not really. But he does have them. Regrets that is. Most of them are about the second Robin. Especially about Jason. He'll never be able to forgive himself for what happened to his son. These days Jason barely looked at him, and there was no one to blame but himself. If he'd done things differently when he found out about Jason's resurrection. Tried harder to understand, instead of just blaming the Lazarus pit. Instead of blaming Jason. His sons anger had been justified and he'd been to blind to see it then.

Now it was just to late.

"Things are different now. You don't need to worry about your brother so much." He says, standing up and pulling cowl over his head. They had work to do.

The dark knight narrowed his eyes at Nightwing. "Shouldn't you be in Bludhaven right now?" Dick shrugged in response.

"Bludhaven was quiet. Came by to offer some help."

Bruce rolled his eyes under the cowl. Sure. "You can patrol with Robin then." It would give him a chance to 'accidentally' run into Selina.

Dick shook his head. He had an idea as to what his father was thinking. Internally he groaned. Thoroughly disgusted by the thought.

They didn't talk anymore about Carlisle Tollar and Jason or their apparent trip out of state anymore that night.

Her back is too him. She's leaned over the iron railing of the two story condo looking down at the active street below. Jason shoves his hands in his jackets pockets, the suns home down and the cool air drifting off the river surrounds them, he walked over. "You love and hate them don't you?" He whispers and she bites her lip.

"They are my parents, I love them." She says quietly. Eyes drifting between the people walked back from bourbon and too.

"But?" He prods and she sighs.

"They move on to quickly. They were able to let my siblings go, let them be. I never could. And now papa is actively dying, yet they both just seem like they accepted it. I don't understand." Carlisle tells him, turning her face too look at him catching him staring. He's lit a cigarette, it's held forgotten in his hand. His eyes on her. They're always on her these days.

"You probably won't. People are different Car. Just be glad they aren't hung up on the dead. It would be so much harder for you." She leans into his side. Resting her head on his shoulder. Carlisle takes in his words, thinking over the statement. Something bothering her about his tone.

"Are you still ignoring Bruce?"

"Not actively. Things are different now. Clearer. I don't want him dead, but I don't know if I want to be around him. Seeing him at that party was difficult." He admits, allowing the change of subject. This was something he'd wanted to talk to her about anyway. Carlisle could always offer him a new perspective. One he wouldn't usually have thought of and considered.

"Jason don't ever think for one moment that the hurt you felt because of him wasn't justified. While you might have gone about it the wrong way, you weren't wrong." Instead he is surprised by her admittance and it bring him back to the first night they met. When she'd brought him into her home and healed him, and then continued to keep letting him back into her life. Listening to him, accepting him for he was, not who he'd been, making him feel welcomed. Loving him.

He loved her for it.

As strange as that feeling had been, as interesting as it was getting to that point. He loved her. No doubts. And she kept giving him more reasons.

She must have seen the questioning look in his eyes it felt him tense because she continued. "His lack of action hurt you. I don't want people, no matter who they are, to think they get away with hurting you while I'm around. Plus he was wrong." Jason tries not to look too deeply into her words here, but he does appreciate them nonetheless. It meant a lot to him. Silence settles around them. She doesn't make any indication of speaking any further completely content to just be there with him.

"The night is still young Car, we should join the nightlife." He does eventually grow restless, Carlisle shifts next to him. Standing straight bracing her hands on the railing once more and peering down to the street below. It couldn't hurt, it had been a long time since she'd been apart of New Orleans nightlife. Besides it was an experience she thought Jason should have. If only just to see how he thought of it compared to Gotham.

"A night in the Quarter wouldn't hurt. But I'm not touching Bourbon street with a ten foot pool. It's a good way to get something stolen." She warns him, leaning over to peck his cheek and then heading back inside through the double French doors. Jason has to admit, at least to himself, sometimes he really liked watching her walk away..

 **XOXOX**

 **I don't know why I keep making these chapters so inconsistent in word count. Something to think about. I think I want to do a whole chapter for there night out and this is just a Segway into that. I promise this whole trip to New Orleans has purpose. It's probably going to last at least two more chapters and then we will see what happens from there.**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	16. 16

**.16**

"Oh my god, you're Carlisle Tollar!" An extremely drunk woman blabbers as she hangs over the bar they've taken up residence at. As if she's just noticed their presence, regardless of the fact they've been there for at least a half hour. Carlisle thinks that considering the type of insight people had into her life, into her family's life that for them to be hours into the night at the third bar of the evening that for this to be the first time someone has recognized us pretty awesome. She patted the poor drunk girls arm and offered her a kind smile.

"I am, and you are very wasted. What hotel are you staying at sweetie?" The other brunette rambles out a name and Carlisle nods her head. Jason gives her a look. Apparently she was just that mothering to everyone. Even complete strangers she's just met, which really shouldn't have come to a much of a surprise as it did. Their own meeting in mind.

"I'm going to call a taxi for you, so you get back to your hotel alright." She tells the drunk girl who just continues to talk nonsense. Carlisle looks over at the bar tender. "Did she have keys or a purse?" The man shakes his head, remembering the tendency of the youngest Tollar well. He'd been the owner of this bar for a long time and when the youngest Tollar still lived in the city she'd visited often enough with her siblings while they were still living.

"No purse, no keys, just an ID and a credit card. But she hasn't been paying for the last few rounds." Carlisle nods at that information. Someone was not getting what they tried to paid for. She felt absolutely no sympathy for them.

"Thanks Joel, you're the greatest!" The man just smirks at her. Jason shakes his head at her antics and turns back to talk to the bartender while Carlisle handles the drunk girl like a damn pro.

"Last time she was in here I had to call three taxis." Joel states looking over to the small brunette as she helped the taller drunk woman outside. Jason watches with a fond look.

"So this is normal then. Here I thought I was the only stray bird she helped." Jason laughs at his own joke, the bartender poured him another shot.

"She has a good heart. It's good to see her in the Quarter again. I always got kicks out of it when she'd go to tell assholes off for being to handsy with drunk tourist." His brow rose at that too. So her retaliating against asshole guys wasn't a one time thing. Joel chuckles watching Carlisle help the woman out of her shoes before they slipped out the front door. The windows in the building In just the right places that they could still see them. A purposeful discussion made by Joel during renovations after the storm. Jason picked up the shot, Joel looked back at him and smirked pouring a shot for himself. As the owner he did what he liked.

"After James died, making her the last Tollar kid she stopped commin' round. Last I heard she'd moved to Gotham of all places. Got a lot of respect for that girl and since ya seemed interested in her I'm going to give you a warning. Treat her right. Cheers." They shoot, each setting the cups down at the same time Jason grins at the man standing.

"As if there was any other way." He says and then walks away. Not about to let his girl stand by herself with a drunk in an unfamiliar city to him. Nope not about to happen.

His coat is draped over her shoulders as they walked along the canal. She a few steps ahead, but walking slowly listening to the sounds of the river besides them. Jason loves to watch her, he decides, when she thinks no one else is watching, when she's completely a hundred percent herself.

He sees now just what effect being in a place once called home does to her. Now just filled with bad memories.Changes so subtle yet so important. She smiles less, eyes don't shine as brightly as they do when they're in Gotham. The air while cleaner here was harder for her to breathe. Jason saw how it was breaking her.

"When I was a kid, I used take long walks here. Sometimes with a sibling, sometimes it was just me. Before everything. It was nice.." She falters here, stopping in her tracks. Jason would have run into her if he'd been anyone else. If he hadn't been paying such close attention to her since landing. But he wasn't anyone else and he had been paying attention. He stops with her, close enough to grab her if he felt the need but far enough away to allow her space. Carlisle continues her musings.

"Papa joined me a few times. He worked late and I had a penchant for sneaking out. We got beignets once at this hole in the wall place, it's no longer here the owner moved away." She turns back to look at him, her smile sad, far away. Carlisle reaches for his hand. Then says with such clarity, such resolve his heart aches for her.

"My father is dying, and once he goes this city will have taken everything and everyone I love. Mama will follow him no doubt, and I'll be alone." It's just a fact, how she phrases it, like commenting on the weather. Or telling Roy he needed a haircut. Just how things were.

She often leaves him floundering for words to say. Comforting had never really been his forte. Jason was far to broken for that, and while over the course of the year she'd put some of the pieces back in place it didn't change the facts. This time the words come easily surprising himself.

"I'm not about to let that happen Carlisle. I won't let you be alone." Her smile brightens just a little bit the settled sadness lingers in her eyes.

There is a lightness in her chest at she looks at him. Takes in the sincerity of his words, the determined look in his eyes. The small smile on his own face. Her heart flutters.

"I love you Jay. Always." She lets go of his hand, places on his cheek. Then in the moonlight with the river in the background, lamppost reflecting in the water she leans forward on her toes to kiss him.

Jason leans into the kiss. Trying to remember the feeling of her lips on his, taking in their softness. He runs a hand through her hair. Kissing her back.

 **XOXOX**

 **Yay for short chapters and their first real kiss!! Woot woot! Next chapter we will go back to the Garden District with her parents and then I think this small arc will have one more chapter before heading back to Gotham. So we will see. Please let me know what you think!**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	17. 17

. **17**

Jason was beginning to think Roy had been right in his first observation of Carlisle. And if that observation of obsessive mother hen tendencies had been seen in Carlisle, he could see it even worse from the two woman who raised her. Constance had breakfast waiting for them early that morning when the showed up after there all night trip in the Quarter. Still in the clothes they'd gone out it and in fact really hungry. Then while they are eating just a few bite in the old woman proceeded to scold the two adults for staying out so late.

"Your gon give me a heart attack little Carly. You know that this city isn't safe." She says, and Carlisle just nods her head along not taking any of it to mind. Knowing good and well that if anything had happened last night he would have protected them.

"Constance leave those two alone. Neither of them are children." Marcel speaks walking slowly into the room, an oxygen tank at his side with the nostril mask on his face. Jason has to stop himself from gawking. This did not look like the same man from the day before. Carlisle did not have near at much self control and she dropped the utensil in her hand it clattered against the table.

"Oh Papa, what has happened?" She breathes, looking him over with wide tear filled eyes. Marcel just smiles at his daughter. Waving off the concern in her voice.

"Life my darling. Life has happened. Now don't you worry yourself with me finish your breakfast." He says without missing a beat.

Constance frowns at him. She sees how deeply his nonchalant words effect the girl. Hurting the poor dear.

"Now Marcel, don' you go brushin' off your daughters concern like that. Little Carly hasn't been around she hasn't seen you like this." The old woman warns and the man just sighs.

"It is merely the truth Constance. Life gives until it has to take back." And then he walks out of the room leaving them alone.

Jeralean wonders in next, looking not quite as put together as she'd been the day before. Dark circles under her eyes showing that they weren't the only ones who didn't sleep last night. She walks around the island bar where they were sitting and straight to the coffee pot. "Carlisle dear, I have to run into office to check up on a project. You don't mind keeping an eye on your father?" Carlisle dutifully nods her head, pushing back the tears in her eyes trying to keep her cool.

"Anything specific I need to keep and eye on? Behaviours or moods to be aware of? Eating restrictions?" Carlisle has shifted into nurse mode asking her questions.

"Dr. Alvarez will be by in an hour or so to check in. He'll be able to answer those questions. I gotta go." Jeralean ridges around the bar, grabbing a piece of toast and to go mug in the other hand. She leaned down to kiss Carlisle's cheek and then patted Jason's shoulder on her way passed them.

"Be good, don't cause Constance here to much trouble and don't let your father spend the whole day in his office. Bye."

Carlisle shook her head and took a sip of the coffee she fixed for herself. Constance was eyeballing her carefully from her spot from the other of the counter. The young woman sat her cup down and met her gaze.

"Constance how long has it been like this? Mama never went into the office this early for projects before and Papa fought tooth and nail to ensure that she didn't have too. He's way past that point now. How long have y'all been keeping this from me?" Jason places his hand on the lower of her back, he hears the hitch in her voice as a que. Constance gives her such a forlorn look. Eyes sad.

"A year. He fell ill right after you left and your folks decided that it wasn't the time to tell you. They thought he'd get better." She tells her. Carlisle gapes and the pushes herself away from the bar standing and walking away. Jason tries to follow only to get stopped by Constance holding up a hand.

"Let her go. She'll come back and you'll be here for her then." Jason stares at the empty seat left for a moment and shakes his head at the woman.

"That might have worked if I was anyone else. Sorry but I'm no about to let her be alone." Jason mutters a thank you for breakfast and then follows after Carlisle. The slamming a back screen door is an indicator of where to go. She may of been small but when she was upset she moved quickly. Constance raises her brow and shakes her head. Well it seemed he was just as stubborn as her granddaughter. Good.

When Jason found her, it was about half an hour later and he had to borrow an old motorbike from her house. He assumed it was one of her brothers, or that it had been at least. He pulled up next to the half grassy patch of land by the river. Carlisle was still in her dress from the night before, shoes missing, knees tucked up to her chest, arms wrapped firmly around then. Jason propped the bike on its stand, tucking his hands in his jean front pockets and ambles over to her taking a careful seat.

"Your grandmother told me to leave you be." He says leaning back on his arms, watching a boat go by. Carlisle leans into his side.

"Honestly the suggestion was a little insulting. Like i'd leave you alone, after promising not to. She doesn't know me very well." He continues and his words garner the reaction he'd been looking for. Carlisle smiles faintly but she doesn't say anything so Jason takes it as incentive to keep talking.

"Anyway, i got a call from Roy. Apparently Dick has been looking into my sudden disappearance. Nosy bastard." That earns a snicker from the brunette and he smiles.

"I'm sure if you asked Roy would happily deck him again for you." She giggles then, the memory pretty funny.

Jason laughs too. Thinking about how nasally Duck sounded weeks later.

Ultimately Carlisle decides she can't stay and watch her father die. No one really objects, each knowing that it's probably for the best. She decides instead of letter she'll actually call and talk with then twice a week and then she'll schedule another trip out around Christmas. Since there is no way of knowing how long it will be.

Marcel and Jeralean drive them to the airport two days later.

"Do not let your heart grow wary over an old man like me darling girl. Live your best life and know I will always love you." He whispers into their last hug and kisses her nose. Carlisle does her best not to cry and before she knows it their plane is ready and they need to go.

"I love you Papa." She whispers back.

Finally, they go home.

 **XOXOX**

 **I really struggled with this chapter. Writing it, deterring the flow here, and so forth. I couldn't decide if I wanted to actually kill Marcel here or not. I'm the end I left it open, we will see where it goes. This is the end of the New Orleans arc. Next chapter it's back in Gotham for sure.**

 **Please let me know what you all think.**

 **Thank you for reading!!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	18. 18

**.18**

Carlisle would like to say that their return to Gotham, and settling back in their routine was not a problem. She'd like to say the first few night were easy and met by no trouble. But then she'd most defiantly be lying and Carlisle Tollar was not a liar.

The first two nights had been okay, a few minor injuries here and there. Nothing to serious or life threatening. Just irritating at best. It was the third night that was the problem. Because at a quarter to four she got a frantic call from Nightwing of all people. Robin had been shot.

They came in through the window, Nightwing carrying Robin's practically lifeless form. Carlisle hastily asks what happened, not why he's brought him here, just what happened. She doesn't noticed the dark figure who follows behind them or even Jason's tense form. Her eyes are solely on the dying child in Nightwing's arms.

"Sniper, drug bust gone bad. Two bullets." He tells her setting Damian on the table as per her instruction.

Carlisle in the year she'd been patching Jason and the rest of the outlaws up had invested in a rather expensive medical set that could be put up with little to no problem in her kitchen dining nook. Blood bags, IVs, pain killers, you know the whole nine yards. It was interesting what money could get you without having people look to closely at your expenses. She met Nightwings masked eyes, "I need you to help me get his top off, and then I need you to trust me."

He nods.

If Carlisle hadn't noticed Batman in her apartment two hours ago when Nightwing bright Robin to her half dead, she definitely noticed him now. It has been touch and go for a while there but she finally got the boy stable and stitched up. Her arms and torso were covered in his blood, she had him attached to a heart monitor and oxygen tank. The machines, while not hospital sized, made for a very cramped space and she stepped back right into Batman. She had to take a breath, to calm her racing heart. God, this was not a good night.

"Robin is going to be alright, he's going to need a few weeks to recover before I'd clear him to do any intense work. No exercising or patrol for at least two weeks. Bed rest." She tells him firmly not even muttering an apology for backing into him. As she believed he shouldn't be standing so close. No matter how worried he was.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I have no desire to keep standing here covered in blood. Don't move him." Carlisle walks away. Disappearing around the corner to the short hallway. To tired and to concerned about getting out of her blood covered clothes to care about the niceties or how rude she may be being.

Bruce looks at Jason then, his second oldest is still masked but he gets the feeling from the look the young woman gives him as she passes it's not for Jason benefit. Dick has taken up residence leaning over the couch now that Damian has been cleared. He isn't sure how he feels about this development, all he knows if Jason hasn't known her then Damian might have died. That thought doesn't sit well with him.

"Hood." Jason glances up from the couch to stare blankly at him.

"This wouldn't have happened if you'd just trusted me." His son bites our bitterly, and Bruce can't argue that point.

"Does she know?" He questions, staring at the two oldest now. They exchange a look. Jason finally nods his head and then proceeds to pull off the domino mask.

He runs a hand over his sweaty face, thinking, Bruce did not appear happy by the admittance and honestly he didn't care. It was Carlisle he was worried about. She didn't like to see children hurt like that, if Bruce wasn't careful how he talked to her once she returned to the living room. There was no telling how she'd react. And as funny as he thought seeing her slap Bruce may be, he rather her not. He didn't want his family around her. The only reason he suggested Dick bring Damian here instead of to the cave was because he knew the kid wouldn't make it.

He may not always like them, but he didn't want to see anymore dead Robins.

"She can speak for herself." Carlisle huffs reentering the room, hair wrapped up in a towel and in a clean set of clothes. She did that fast.

She moves carefully around the room, around the statue that Bruce had become. Carlisle just ignores him, she pretty much ignored all of them and she goes to check on the child. Regardless of all their eyes on her.

As soon as she starts fiddling with the various IVs she's attached to him and checks the small monitor. He stirs, violently. Arms swinging, trying to rip out the IVs and the face mask. For one second panic settles of Jason as he tries to get up from the couch. Then in the time it took for him to start moving, Carlisle has Damian carefully pinned. Jason remembers something about her, something important.

She was a former combat medic, this sort of reaction, well it didn't surprise her. Carlisle moved quicker than expected, one hand she used to push the startled child back the other she cupped his cheek. "Shhh.. Robin it's me. It Carlisle. I need you to take a breath." Her voice has dropped to a soothing octave, it's loling, calming. He complies, stops trashing, much to the surprise of the other three. They don't see the smile she offers him, but it's definitely heard in her next sentence.

"Great, yeah, just like the sweetie. Wonderful. Let's take another one." She rubs her thumb over his cheek. Eyes unblinking and soft while looking at the child. His panicked breathing begins to level out.

"Wonderful, now let's lay back. Take it slow. Atta boy." Carlisle moves her hand to brush his hair out of his face.

"What happened?" His voice is raspy as he speaks.

"I'm not sure. But Nightwing, and Batman brought you to me. I patched you up." At that the boy is frantically trying to sit up again. This time Carlisle is not so gentle in getting him to lay back. Bruce is behind her, still full customs trying to intervene. She has one arm across Damian's torso pressing him back and another held out to stop Bruce. Or to serve as a warning.

"Getting up is a no go. Absolutely non negotiable. Lay down, please, I don't want you to tear your stitches. Or I'll be forced to knock you out and I have this feeling that you want like that." Or ever trust her again.

"Son. Listen to her." Bruce deep baritone reaches her ear. He doesn't make a step closer. Which she's glad for, Carlisle would be more than willing to let him near Damian once she'd stepped away. There simply wasn't enough room in the space for both of them.

He reluctantly laid back down. Eyeing her warily behind his mask. By this point, the other three were practically crowded around the makeshift triage. Damian watched as Carlisle moved, her arms folding back to her chest crossing over. The towel wrapped around her head had only come undone slightly which was interesting. She narrowed her eyes while regarding Grayson and father like they had done something to offend her. Instead she looks over at Jason the irritation melts off her face turning to annoyed amusement.

"I didn't sign up for this." A sigh falls from her lips and then she adds.

"We need a bigger apartment."

Jason can't help but to laugh at the expression she makes. He'd been telling her that for at least six months. Sometimes he liked being right.

 **XOXOX**

 **Hi guys! Thanks for reading this chapter! I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think.**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	19. 19

**.19**

She shouldn't have been surprised. Honestly, she opened this door...eh window, so there was no way to close it now. But to be fair when she'd brought Jason into her apartment she really had thought it wouldn't be what it had become. Not that she didn't like what they'd become. Carlisle loved Jason, which now apparently meant she had to tolerate unannounced appearances by teen vigilantes at, she looks over at the stove clock, five forty-five, her eye ghost over the slumped form sitting at the kitchen bar. Head rested on folded arms.

Okay then. She was admittedly confused, and then thankful for the decision to sleep in leggings she'd made last night. Carlisle was only awake this early because she needed to check in with her family company. It's been a month since their return from New Orleans, her father had insisted during their last phone conversation that she start video conferencing in on meeting and keeping up with Tollar. She had decided to indulge him.

The company would be hers one day. Regardless of how much she didn't want it. So she has to start making some sort of effort.

"Ugh… Timothy?" She finally manages to say. Still unsure, still trying to determine what the teen was doing here. As from where she was standing he didn't appear to have any injuries. Which in her mind would be the only plausible for him to be here, in her apartment, where he knew Jason would be.

Timothy groaned, like someone who was being woken up would. Carlisle bit her lip to keep from smirking. Getting the feeling that the boy hardly slept, and for some reason deemed the bar counter an appropriate place to nap. He didn't make any indication to lift his head or answer other than the one grunt, so Carlisle went about her business. She started a pot of coffee, went to check to make sure Jason was still asleep, and then to get ready. Deciding to deal with whatever was going on with Tim once she was video conference appropriate looking.

Getting reading involved brushing her hair that was now reaching middle of her shoulders now, pulling it back into a low bun, and applying a small amount of makeup. Just something to cover the dark circles under her eyes from sleepless nights. Then she put on a nice top over the black leggings she had on, they'd only be looking at her face so it didn't matter. She grabbed her laptop from under a stack of real estate papers and headed back to the kitchen.

Jason and her were looking for a bigger apartment. One where she could have a actual medical station instead of her kitchen table. While what they had currently was an alright set up, it was not ideal for severe injuries. Like bullet wounds. Carlisle still didn't know how she felt about having Batman in her apartment. Or finding out he'd known about her involvement with Jason longer than the others. The look on Jason's face when the revelation had been made, well, he wasn't happy.

Carlisle fixed her coffee leaned against the counter and took a long sip. Her eyes finally landed back on the sleeping teen. Tilting her head to the side, that didn't look very comfortable. How had he? She tries not to think of the logistic.

"Timothy, sweetie. I need you to wake up, or at least move to the couch." Because then if he had a crick in his beck she wouldn't feel too responsible. Surprisingly he lifts his head up then, she raised a brow at him. Watching a sudden realization and mortification washes over his features. Only feeling slightly guilty.

"This isn't the safehouse." Her brow only raises more at that. The only safehouse in this area that she knew of was Jason's. She'd been there a total of once and preferred him to just come to her apartment for medical treatment.

"Just a little off Dorothy." She teases taking another sip of her coffee. The boy tenses.

"I don't.." He sputters for words.

"On a scale from 1-10 how many hours have you slept in the last three days? One being none and ten being more than eight hours." She questions, nails clicking against the mug as she watches the boy think over the answer. Carlisle frowns when determine a response takes Timothy longer than two minutes to come up with.

"Actually don't tell me. Just go lay down on the couch, take a nap. I'll be less inclined to be upset."

He eyes her warily. Carlisle just smiles pleasantly in response, makes a motion with her hand.

"Couch, nap, go. I have a video conference to attend."

She never figures out why exactly he listened. Carlisle also never asks.

Jason stares at the blanket covered lump on the couch. Then over to Carlisle who appears to be making breakfast. At ten, he knew she's been up for a while. What he doesn't know is why his replacement is asleep on their couch. She smiles at him when he walks over to her still shaking his head.

"What is Tim doing here?" He whispers. Because he didn't think that kid ever slept, and he wasn't about to be responsible. Carlisle apparently seemed to know what what going on, since it looked like she'd been the one to draw a second blanket over the kid. "I found him passed out at the kitchen counter this morning. He has fever." She whispers back, stilling what looked like some sort of soup. So not breakfast. Jason raises a brow at her then.

"That doesn't explain why he's still here." She reaches up and pats him on the cheek.

"Because he has fever. I couldn't make him leave. I'm a nurse, he's sick." Jason rolls his eyes. Figures.

"I need to go check on some things, I have a missed call from Roy." He mutters. Carlisle doesn't say anything. If she realizes he's just trying to avoid his little brother then she doesn't point it out. Instead she nods her head absentmindedly and turns her attention back to the soup she's making.

"Go, I'll be alright. Besides its only ten what sort of trouble can I get into this early. I don't have a shift tonight so I thought we could look at apartments." He nods, presses a kiss to her forehead and then heads to the door.

"I'll be back later. Good luck with the replacement." The door shut softly behind him. Carlisle just hummed. Jason had said that without any sort of venom in his voice. Progress.

"I expected a lot more yelling." She turns around to see Timothy sitting up on the couch, looking at the spot his older brother had just been in. Damn the kid was quiet. Carlisle smiled at him.

"How was your nap?" Timothy wraps the blanket over his head standing and making his way to sit back at the bar. She was different than he expected. He knows now that their previous meetings were versions of herself brought on by stressful scenarios.

"I don't have fever." He states instead of answering. She just shakes her head at him.

"You do, I check earlier. You woke briefly after my meeting to tell me very seriously about your quest to find the perfect slice of cake." His brows furrows at that, Carlisle laughs lightly.

"I'm only picking Timothy, you did wake earlier but it was because your throat was dry. I fixed you a cup of water, I did a hand check to see. You have fever, while mild, and more than likely brought about by exhaustion its there. So I made soup." Timothy looked behind him, indeed there was a cup of half drank water sitting on the coffee table. He turned back around just as she was placing a bowl of soup in front of him from the other side of the bar.

"Why?" She takes in the bewildered expression on his face and decides that it's cute. Like in a small puppy sort of way. Carlisle just smirks.

"Why did I make soup? Soup is good Timothy."

"Why are you being nice? I thought you didn't like us." He sounds confused, like the thought really bothers him. A puzzle he hadn't yet been able to solve.

"Sweetie, I have nothing against you. Now eat your soup." Tim looks at her like she'd grown a second head and all she can do is sigh and turn back to the stove.

It was official. Jason's girlfriend was something else.

 **XOXOX**

 **So too lazy to do a author note here so yeah. Anyway spoiler next chapter happens before this one in chronological order but i'm still working on it as it will be long. So i wanted to go ahead and give you something.**

 **Let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	20. 20

**.20**

Jason looked over at Carlisle, she was determined, and he sighed. Why were they doing this again? Oh yeah he remembered. The demon brat had been shot on a patrol couple weeks back and Dick had brought the kid to the apartment. Carlisle wanted to check up on him. Despite knowing the boy was in the care of Alfred and that man had managed to ensure the health of Bruce Wayne. Or you know some sort of god but no one asked Jason his opinion on the matter.

" _I can go alone Jay. I know there are bad memories for you there."_ She tells him that night before they'd been discussing getting a new place. As nice as it sounded, he needed to face these demons at some point. Even if he didn't want to. Besides he also had to admit that there were good memories too.

If anything happened to him, he needed to make sure someone in the family would look out for her. Not like he thought anything of that sort would. But in his line of work you could never be too careful. Jason wanted to keep Carlisle safe. Protected. He promised.

It was why he agreed. Although now he's starting to regret said decision, maybe he should have just tried harder to get her to call instead. Why did if have to be a personal visit? Because that's just how she was.

Alfred gave them both a soft smile from his spot at the entryway. Carlisle returned it easily. "It's good to see you again Alfred." She beamed, Jason knew it was genuine reaction for her too.

The old butler does his best not to show his surprise upon their arrival. Carlisle had called earlier that day expressing her interest to check in on the young Master and Alfred knew it wasn't a slight against his capabilities so he agreed. He however did not expect Jason to come with her. His grandson had not been to the manor but once since his return to the living and the circumstances had been less than favorable. So yes he was surprised. But he hid it well.

He allowed them both to come inside ushering them into the parlor and then telling the young woman where she could find Damian at this time. Offering to escort her but Jason had declined for her saying he remembered how to get around and had no problem take Carlisle to see the demon. Alfred nodded his head and left them too it. There was work to be done and he needed to alert Bruce of their presence.

Carlisle followed Jason, a slight wonder in her eye. She'd grown up in a wealthy family, but this just took it to a whole other level. "The are nine bedroom, a separate staff quarters, and a full service ballroom." Jason looks back at her, he smirk at the comment.

He'd said something similar to her when they arrived at her childhood home. Carlisle grinned. She hadn't forgotten.

"No comment. " She tucks her arm around his. Walking in step with him. Obviously she was in no hurry to get anywhere. He didn't mind. It allowed him to prepare himself for having to deal with the brat.

..

Damian was not in a great mood. He'd been cooped up in this house for two weeks and was beginning to get restless. The first few days had been bad, stuck in his room unless he wanted Alfred or his father to help him get around. Never would he allow for such at thing.

Why did he have to follow the orders of that woman? Surely he had seen worse injuries in his life and hadn't been put on such extensive bedrest.

The reasoning was simple. His father and the butler liked her and for some unknown reason respected her. Which meant he was now stuck abiding by her orders when they were around. It was torture, well not real torture as he suspected that would be a lot more interesting than what he was currently stuck with.

He'd been allowed to move about today on his own accord and had found himself in the entertainment room. There were a multitude of movies or shows he could watch and even games to play. Wayne manor had no shortage of game consoles at it's dispersal. Damian just wasn't in the mood for any of them. So he'd ended up curled around Titus on one of the many couches with a book.

Titus' ears perked up from his spot. A low sort of growl gathered at the back of his throat. He turned to look towards the door. Damian had been so caught up in his thoughts hadn't even noticed the door opened.

Carlisle Tollar stood next to his supposed older brother, her head tilted carefully to the side eying the dog curiously. She appeared unaffected by the dangerous stance the dog had taken and actually smiled at them both.

Jason said something to her lowly and she seemed just continue in that strange why of hers were she always seemed to be smiling but the smile has it's own identity. Instead she looks straight at him, ignoring the second Robin completely getting to whatever their reason was for interrupting him. Not that he was doing anything important, but honestly he couldn't be bothered.

"May we come in? I wanted to check up on you." He turns his head from them. Unbelievable.

"Tt. I am fine. There was no use for you to come here." Damian doesn't see her raise a brow, or the mirthful undertone her smile takes. Jason however does and by the gleam in her eye he can tell she is about to say or do something tenacious.

Carlisle takes one look at the boy and shakes her head. She was beginning to think that all the Waynes were just this hard to deal with when it came to injuries and maybe she should just give up. But then dragging Jason all the way here would have been for nothing. There had been an ulterior motive for checking on the dark haired boy.

She knew it, Jason knew it, and yet here they both were.

There were steps to healing. Steps that she knew Jason wanted and needed to take but he just couldn't. Not on his own. No matter how much time passed for him, being there, in the manor it would always hold bad memories for him. Despite all the good she knew he had. But that was how it was.

Everyone had an elephant's memory when it came to the bad.

"I see. So you don't want me to clear you for patrol then. Jay can you believe it?" Carlisle turns to him, drawing him into the game. Damian's head whips back around to stare at them. Her specifically. Jason snickers and then smirks at the kid. He was doomed.

"I'm sure the replacement doesn't mind filling in for a few more nights." He mutters. Carlisle bounces on her feet, patting his arm and making a show to turn around. Over exaggerating the whole thing. But then again she'd always loved matches of the wits.

"Wait."

Check and mate.

 **XOXOX**

 **Hey you guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter! It takes place like a few days before the last so yeah. I didn't really want to write the whole exchange between Carlisle and Damian at this moment or the rest of this set. I think in the next chapter we may get a flash back to this or a mention of what happened next. Until then, please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	21. 21

. **21**

By the time Jason and Carlisle actually decide on a new apartment. Carlisle was so done with Jason's eccentric family and their ability to show up at random in there current home. First it had been Timothy, who'd she made take a nap and eat some soup before kicking him out. Then Damian who dropped by in tow with a blonde girl who she thought was the current batgirl? still wasn't sure on that one and Jason hadn't clarified. Their appearance was odd as they had appeared when Damian drug the girl there to get a bone set at two-ish one morning only hours into their patrol and the last time the girl had seen Carlisle she'd been scolding all of them. So she still wasn't sure of the younger girl.

A dark haired girl showed up a few days after that, Jason had been around for that one and just grinned at the girl. Carlisle set a fractured wrist for the girl and then she went on her way. If she or Jason noticed the girl snag one of the cookies Carlisle had just cooked neither of them comment on it. He told her later that the girl was called Black Bat and she didn't talk much. Apparently she was a former batgirl or something and at this point Carlisle knew she wasn't going to be able to keep all of it straight. She didn't try.

So you can see why she might be slightly fed up with the bats at this point. But it came with the territory. With Jason. She would learn to tolerate it. Besides sometimes their reactions to her were pretty comical.

Carlisle doesn't even know how they convinced Jason to let them assist in their move. Nosy detectives. At least with all the extra hands around packing up their apartment had been relatively painless. Now they just had to figure out where all of their stuff ended up. No one had labeled any boxes.

She'd sent Jason to the grocery store, which had somehow ended up with Dick and Tim going with him. How? Hadn't figured that one out yet. Damian was somewhere in the what was really a penthouse but she kept referring to it at an apartment because she didn't want to be that person. He'd help bring in boxes and then disappeared. Carlisle didn't want to know. So she was for the most part alone to work on her sorting.

Bruce and Alfred had decided to stay away from the moving fiasco. Carlisle was thankful since she wasn't a hundred percent on how she felt about the former. Their visit to the Wayne manor last month while purposeful had been tough on Jason. She could see it in his eyes that he felt conflicted over the entire thing. He wanted to move forward, but everyone made it hard for him to.

At this point all she could do was stay out of it. Jason and Bruce had to repair their relationship on their own terms and no amount of pushing from her or anyone else was going to change that. Bruce might have seriously messed up with Jason, and she wasn't going to justify anything the man had done since discovering his son had lived. But he was still Jason's father, regardless if they weren't blood related, and she didn't want for Jason to have any regrets. Carlisle didn't actually give a damn about Bruce. Just Jason.

"Tt. If I were an assassin you would be dead." Carlisle jumps, turning around to see Damian had resurfaced in the room. His arms folded over his chest, expression clearly unimpressed with her. He's lucky she hasn't thrown something at him.

"Pft. Well it's a good thing you aren't an assassin little robin. Does the apartment mesure up to your standards?" She questions pushing herself off the floor deciding to leave the sorting for now. Damian raised a brow at her and gave a small nod.

"It is satisfactory. I assume Todd will be installing his own security." And while Jason hadn't specifically stated that, it had been implied so she just nods. She wasn't naive.

"You weren't around but, Jay, Tim and Dick went to the grocery. I needed a few extra ingredients for dinner. Do you by chance know what box my cutting board ended up in?" Damian raises his brow again but does nod, pointing to a box that had ended up on the table. A new one, apparently the last one had been used to many times as an operating table and it was not sanitary, she wouldn't disagree and it had been a gift from Bruce. The billionaire had gifted them an entire dining set as a measure of good faith, or something.

"Wonderful! Would you like to help me prep some of the vegetables?" She asks while walking over to the table. Carlisle was determined to get the kid to at least be able to stand her presence. It was a work in progress.

"Are you so dimwitted that you can't prepare vegetables on your own." She's pretty sure it's rhetorical, and meant to hurt her feelings. But Carlisle was the youngest, and she's not fooled. Slightly offended, if only for the woman who taught her how to cook, but she does her best to ignore him.

"I'm planning on making spicy ratatouille, and baked chicken. Which is what sent your brothers to get. I wonder how long they'll take." She just continued in her thought. Damian just stares at her confused. That was not the reaction he'd wanted.

"Tt, knowing those imbeciles it could be a while." Carlisle pulls the cutting board out of the box, it was about halfway down, so there was other stuff on the table. Some kitchen items. Some not. Damian watches as she furrows her brow at the contents.

"Which one of your brothers packed this box?" She had to ask. Why were their bathroom towels in a box with her cutting board and a small first aid kit. Damian walks over to her to examine the box.

"That absolute moron Drake." Carlisle looked over at the boy.

"I see. How many cups of coffee did he have?" It could explain why the box had been packed like that. The poor teen needed more sleep and less coffee, but it didn't seem like he was heeding her advice on the subject.

"Why are you asking me?" The child questions through narrowed suspicious eyes. Carlisle just smiles.

"Because you notice everything and everyone." Damian seemed to preen by the comment. Carlisle smiled at him.

"So do you mind assisting me in the kitchen."

He didn't

Jason kicked Damian out of the kitchen when they got home. He was going to cook the chicken and he didn't want to have to work around both Carlisle and the brat. Carlisle and him were accustomed to cooking in a smaller kitchen so usually only one of them did at a time. But when they had things that needed to be prepared simultaneously they made it work.

Usually it involved a lot of dancing around each other. It could be fun.

Carlisle doesn't even blink at the sudden change. Instead she just glides around Jason like second nature.

Dick never thought he'd see his little brother. So.. so domesticated. It was surreal. "You were gone longer than I thought." She states looking at him curiously. Jason shakes his head at her.

"Don't ask." He says which only makes her want to know more. So she turns a sheepish grin to Dick. Caught.

"Why were y'all so long at the store?" He shrugs. Carlisle huffs looking annoyed.

"So Jay won't tell it, neither will you. Timothy sweetie why were y'all gone so long." Tim looked up from where he and Damian has been arguing about what console to set up.

"Dick and Jason got into an argument about cereal. Do you really not like fruit loops?." Carlisle turns back to look over at Jason who has become real focused on seasoning the chicken, her eyes screaming seriously. He just shrugs feeling her gaze on him.

"I do not like fruit loops." She confirms and then goes back to arranging the veggies.

Carlisle misses the look Dick throws the third Robin. But she does hear him say this, rather defensively mind you. "Dude, last time someone didn't answer her question she threatened to call Batman." She smirks into the dish.

"She didn't even know our identity then. Imagine the danger now."

Yeah because now if they were acting out she'd just call Alfred.

 **XOXOX**

 **No author's note, this time.**

 **Also pronounciation of Carlisle is Car-lyle. Car is the nickname Jason calls her and Carly is a nickname her family gave her.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	22. 22

**.22**

Nearly two years into their relationships Jason does something crazy. By his own standards of course. Only he was allowed to determine the level of insanity if his actions. What had he been thinking? Honestly he hadn't.

The child in his arms shivers. He thinks the mid November ights weren't kind to anyone. Least of all the children of crime alley. With how cold it had been and how small she was Jason suspected that that had been the point. It makes his blood boil.

Children were meant to be protected and looked after.

Carlisle gasps from her spot on the couch as he comes in through the balcony. Still in his Red Hood, still holding the girl close to his chest.

"Christ, get in here. You'll catch your death out there. We need to get her warmed up. Where did she even come from?" There was something about the way Carlisle took action to make sure someone was okay before asking questions it was something he respected about her. She only asked the questions to determine how to better help you while helping you.

"Found her behind a dumpster in crime alley." His tone aggravated, as if he just couldn't believe it. Carlisle eyes widen at him, carefully lifting the girl out of his arms and into hers wrapping her in blankets while doing so.

"Jesus. Go get changed, or at least put on dry clothes. I'll handle this. Can't have you catching a cold." Jason nods his head, Carlisle pulls the little girl close to her chest. The child still shivering but eyelids are dropping drowsily, he hears the soft hum of Carlisle voice as she rocks the little girl in her arms. He goes to change satisfied that she'll take of the girl.

Carlisle doesn't question why Jason brought the child to her. To their home. It doesn't matter. All that matter is she gets the little one warmed up. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the girl other than her stint in the snow underdressed, nothing life threatening at least. Poor thing, no older than three. Honestly she's glad he brought her here.

Jason came back thirty minutes later. He went ahead and took a hot shower. Dressed in a less hostile version of his suit and left the hood in the bedroom, but kept his domino mask in place. He can't help but to smile at the scene. Just in case the girl was still awake, it would bode well if he disappeared as Red Hood and returned as Jason.

Carlisle had ended up sitting in the recliner slash rocking chair she insisted they get. Wrapped in two flannel blankets, plus the heated blanket is the little girl asleep in her arms. Head laid against Carlisle collarbone, dark curly hair falling on closed eyes, thumb in mouth. He wished he had his camera, if not up capture the beautiful look on Carlisle's face as she rubbed circles on the girls back and still quietly hummed lullabies.

"Someone left her." He speaks in low tones, loud enough for Carlisle to hear. She nods her head not taking her eyes off the child.

"Her lip is split and I saw a hint of a bruise on her arm when I was taking her from you." He'd noticed the lip so he nods.

"She would have died out there Car." Carlisle stops humming, stops rocking. She meets his masked gaze.

"You did the right thing. Bringing her here I mean. Why don't you go get some sleep and when it is a reasonable time we will figure out what to do now." He can't believe how lucky he is. Jason leans down to kiss her head.

"I'm only going to get a couple of hours. Don't let me sleep to long and if she wakes up.." he trails off but she nods in understanding.

"I'll get you."

She does not get him. Not the first time the girl stirs. The little girl peers at her from under all the layers of blankets and thick curly bangs. Eyes bright, alarmingly so, and she seemed calm. Carlisle smiles, it's reassuring and kind. "Hello."

"Wed said you help me?" The little girl questioned. She wondered what exactly Jason had said to the child before bringing her here. Now she has an idea.

"If it's alright with you sweetie. I'm a nurse." The girl nods at that and yawns. Carlisle looks over at the clock. Still too early.

"M'kay, will Wed be back?" She asks while laying her head back on the woman's chest. Fingers twisting around the fabrics of her shirt. Carlisle just sighs.

"Mmhm, go back to sleep. He'll be here the next time you wake up." Que another yawn.

"You have pwetty eyes." The girl mutters while drifting. Carlisle brushes a few curls from the girls face.

"You as well little one."

"What the? Car tell me you and Jason didn't have a kid I haven't been gone that long." Carlisle looks up, her attention had been focused on the girl. She hadn't heard Roy open the patio door. Honestly she hadn't even known he was in the city.

She makes a quick shushing motion with her hand. "Jason found her behind a dumpster while on patrol." The archers eyes harden at the thought. He shuts the door behind him.

"It's snowing." He points out through gritted teeth.

Carlisle stand slowly, mindful of the child in her arms and walks over to the couch to lay the girl on. She locks eyes with Roy in his arsenal gear and sighs. The cold was no friend to any vigilante.

"Go get a shower or something, warm up. The guest bed is available to be used. You will also find extra clothes there." Then she turns back to sit in the chair, pulling the book she kept on the side table to her. Opening the book and getting settled in for a few more sleepless hours.

 **XOXOX**

 **This part one to the next bit. Sorry for taking so long to update. Moved to another state didn't yet have Internet.**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	23. 23

**.23**

When Jason wakes up, five hours later its to the smell of bacon grease and biscuits. He fogoes putting on his mask or anything Red Hood related knowing that if the little girl had woken up Carlisle probably would have spun some believable story about how she ended up here. What he hadn't been expecting was to see Roy sitting on the floor playing blocks with the dark curly haired child. Where the blocks had come from he couldn't have been sure.

"Morning sleepy." The archer says cheekily. Carlisle's back is too him from her spot at the stove, but she throws a small wave over her shoulder. Attention not to be diverted from whatever else she had decided to make for breakfast. Smelt like something homey and warm. Possibly those rotel grits she loved so much.

Jason rubs his hand over his face. It was too early for this. Instead of responding to the greeting from his friend he heads in the direction of the kitchen to fix himself a cup of coffee. He does not miss the curious look the little girl gives him, he offers her a small smile before putting his back to them.

Carlisle, bless her, had a pot brewed and his mug set next to it waiting for him. She leaned up on her toes to peck his cheek when he settled next to her. "Did you sleep okay? How are you feeling?" Her inquiries are met with a small smile from him, he kisses her forehead before making his cup. Jason takes in the dark circles under her eyes and the fact she was still in her clothes from yesterday. He tries not to frown at the thought. She must not have slept at all.

"Yes to both. What is Roy doing here?" He whispers back leaning against the counter before taking a sip of the coffee. There is a small hint of peanut butter, he smirks into the glass. She shrugs her shoulders, as if the answer hardly matters, and it probably doesn't.

The outlaws knew they could stop by whenever. Within reason of course. Carlisle was the decider of what the reason was and she usually went with it. 92% of the time that is, she had her days where she couldn't be bothered by their bullshit.

Jason decides to switch tactics. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"A few hours before you came back from patrol with the girl." He's glad she doesn't berate him here for that. That she doesn't seem to bothered by it. Jason was lucky.

"Her name is Ava." He tells her after another sip of his cup, eyes cast out to where Roy was building a block tower with the toddler.

"She's staying." Carlisle says into the eggs, not looking at him. There is no room for argument in her tone. Honestly he wasn't going to.

That girl was better off with them, with Carlisle looking after her, then anyone else in the damned city. Jason shakes his head.

"You can't just take in every broken and lonely thing you come across Car." Or that he brings into the apartment. She looks over at him then, eyes daring, as if they're screaming. Watch Me.

Carlisle watched Jason interact with the little girl while she cleaned up from breakfast. Roy ate with them and then explained why he'd dropped by last night. Fully recovered from his apparent shock of seeing her with a kid. Something about something Carlisle couldn't be bothered to pay attention to and then he left. She just didn't understand why he could've called instead of stopping by. Roy didn't even live in Gotham these days.

When she's done cleaning up in the kitchen she joins Jason and Ava on the floor, the toddler crawls over to her. Smiling the whole time. "Cawy, play with us." She rambles in the sweet nonsensical way toddlers do and Carlisle smiles back with a nod.

As the play with the blocks Jason looks over at her, his brow raised. "When did we get blocks?" He questions after a moment as if the whole idea of the children's toy had been bothering for a while. Carlisle smirks back at him over Ava's head.

"They were in a box of my old things." She admits. Jason nods his head at that.

They entertain the little girl until she yawns and Carlisle suggests naptime. Because for someone who was only running on two hours of sleep a nap sounded glorious.

Jason took one look at both of their drooping eyelids and nodded.

"Alright babydoll, you heard the lady. Nap time." He stands scoping Ava up into his arms while making a motioned for her to follow.

He lead her to their room laid the girl on the bed and then settled on his side, pulling a book off the nightstand as Carlisle sat on the other side of the child. Ava curls into her side, Carlisle runs her hand through the girls curls. Jason watches this all happen from corner of his eyes. When he sure the girl has fallen asleep he turns to look at Carlisle drifting expression.

"Are you sure?" She just offers him one of her reassuring smiles and nods. Her grip on the girl tightens protectively and she two drifts off into sleep.

Jason can't help but to stare. Damn. He doesn't know how he managed to get so lucky.

 **XOXOX**

 **Yes I know that this is not how easily this would happen in the real world. But it Gotham, well people go missing all the time, kids especially and no one even bats an eye.**

 **Or something like that.**

 **Yes they are going to adopt the girl, they each have enough connections to make it happen.**

 **We will see what happens next.**

 **Defiantly some bat family reactions soon. As if the thought of Jason with a girlfriend was hard enough to swallow. Now we have Jason with a girlfriend and a daughter. Which is going to be fun.**

 **So originally when i started this i had a plan, a plot, and everything involved with actually writing a story instead of moments. But then about half way in i changed my mind and just wanted to do these snapshot chapters instead of a full blown story. If you'd like to know or be interesting in reading what i had in mind for the sub-plot let me know and i might put something together.**

 **Anyway thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	24. 24

**.24**

Barbara Gordon, doesn't really believe Dick when he tells her Jason has changed. That he's different now. It's been at least two years since she'd even last seen the Red Hood. Not that he wasn't active, oh no, from the reports she kept he was still just as active in Goham and in Bludhaven. He'd just gotten better at avoiding the Oracle's watchful eye. From the reports she's seen, his methods were still just as violent as they had been, still as dirty and underhanded as they'd were before. Even if the death toll of his actions had gone down she didn't see how that was change. What he was doing, how he was doing it, was just illegal. Deep in her bones she'd always be the police commissioners daughters. So no, she didn't believe Dick, no matter how hard he tried to convince her.

But really who was he trying to convince. Himself or her?

You can imagine then, that she's even less inclined to believe Stephanie or Cass when they tell her he has a civilian girlfriend. A civilian girlfriend who can't be deep dived or looked into without the woman in question knowing about it. Tim had been the one to warn her about it when she'd called to collaborate the story she'd just been told by the two former batgirls. He offered to send her the sole file he had on her.

After that, she sort of pushed Jason Todd and his mystery girl from her mind. It didn't seem like any of the bats were to concerned over the matter and Barbara had more important matters to worry about. The last time she'd given it any thought was six months ago.

Now she wished she'd just looked into it more. Because if she hadn't wanted to believe what the others were telling her then you can imagine seeing it first hand was quite a shock. Not only did Jason have a girlfriend, who was relatively attractive, it also appeared that they had a daughter. Although that part didn't line up with anything she'd heard from the others.

She watched the three of the interact through the glass of the cafe. Barbara had promised to meet her dad here for coffee, he was as expected running behind. When all of the sudden she saw someone who she swore resembled Jason walk through the door. He ordered two cups of coffee and a muffin to go before heading back out the door to meet a woman walking up with a small dark haired child.

To her add to her surprise the woman smiled at him, leaning up on her toes to kiss his cheek before accepting the cup he held out for her. He then scooped the little girl up with his free arm and held her close to him. She babbled in his ear and Barbara wished she could have heard what they were saying. There was just no way.

That couldn't have been Jason. He looked happy. Content. She'd never seen Jason look so at ease in the entire time she'd known him. No way.

Except watching them walk away, the brief profile of his face she'd seen as he turned. She just couldn't deny it. No one she'd mat had eyes that shade of green and trufs of white mixed in with black hair like that. Looks like she'd finally be looking into that woman.

"Sorry I'm late." Barbara's attention is redirected to her father who is taking the seat across from her. She offers him a curt but pleansent smile. No need to bother him with her worries.

"I ordered your drink for you."

If Barbara thought she'd gone unnoticed by Jason, then the Oracle had another thing coming. It's not like he hadn't seen her when he walked in. Barbara Gordon even in the chair wasn't someone easily overlooked. Jason just simply hadn't cared. The former batgirl could do what she'd wanted with what she'd observed. It wasn't like they were planning on keeping Ava a secret and his family had already met Carlisle.

Carlisle glances over at him. She gives him a worried look and he shakes his head. No need to bother her over it. Ava is chatting animatedly in his ear as they walk down the street. There supposed to meeting Roy, his own daughter, and Kori at a local park. But after the late night they had with Ava he almost called in canceled.

The nightmares from the little girl he'd come to consider his, her crying from monsters long gone, almost made him wished he'd dug deeper into who her parents had been. Just so he could have put a bullet in them himself for hurting such a innocent child. There was one thing he couldn't stand more than any other sort of crime, and the was child abusers. They could all burn in the deepest and hottest pits of hell for all he was concerned.

"Uncle Jason!" All malicious thoughts of murder vanish. Lian Harper crashes into his legs. He narrows his eyes at Roy who looks to be having a hard time concealing his amusement. With careful consideration, and when Carlisle is not directly looking at him he flips Roy the bird over both of the children's heads.

His best friend just loses it.

Carlisle wrangles both little girls back inside, Kori floats around them taking coats and scarves from the children. She sent Jason and Roy to get pizza post their park experiencing. The girls had hit it off so well that Carlisle decided to look past the fact that up until today she'd never even heard of of the girl that was Roy's daughter. She'd allow it this this.

She hoped they wouldn't be gone too long. Looked like some kind of storm was brewing.

"Geeze, it sure it coming down out there." She mutters looking out to the patio door, it was still November but was snowing like this was Greenland in January. Honestly she couldn't believe the weather here. Growing up in the south she was lucky if they saw snow outside of the trips taken to the mountains.

Kori follows her tiny friends gaze. "Roy mentioned something about a winter storm coming in. Is it really that unusual?"

"Momma, Auntie Kowi look it's snowin." The smaller of the two girls exclaimed pointing excitedly at the window. Carlisle is in such a state of shock that she isn't sure how to respond.

In almost three weeks since Ava had come to live with them she'd never called her momma before. It takes her a moment. But once she's recovered she heads over to join the two girls at the window.

"Yes it is, let's hope those silly boys get back before it gets really bad." She scoops Ava into her arms and places a hand on Lian's shoulder. The archer's daughter looks up at her and smiles. Kori comes to stand on the other side of them, her warmth radiating out to touch each of them.

Carlisle leads the girls from the window and the head back over to the couches, just as they're about to settle on a movie to watch the door swings open.

"Christ, it's freaking cold outthere." Jason and Roy come through the door, cheeks rosy, three boxes of pizza each. She smiles at them both.

"Don't let all the heat out. Get in here and shut the door."

 **XOXOX**

 **Two chapters in one day!! Woot Woot.**

 **It came to my attention that while i included Stephanie and Cass in the story, even if both their appearances were brief, I hadn't included the original Batgirl. And while i'm not the biggest fan of Babs I still wanted her to be apart of the story. Also little Lian Harper, i like what she does for Roy's character. So i couldn't just keep pretending she didn't exist.**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	25. 25

**.25**

Tim laughs hard, for a solid minute when he learned that Jason had apparently adopted a little girl. Internally that is. It's just so unlike him. Or at least that's what he would have originally thought. But he also didn't know his older brother very well.

When he tells Dick, the oldest sort of just shakes his head. Like perhaps he'd almost expected it. Or it was just to much to take in. They agree to not tell Damian, as it would be much more entertaining for the boy to find out on his own.

They both suspect Bruce already knows and if Bruce knows then so does Alfred. The butler knew everything. It felt like that at least.

Tim only found out cause he accidentally ran into Carlisle while she was at one of the markets he shopped at and had the child with her. Jason wasn't with them but that hasn't mattered.

"Hello Timothy." He also wasn't sure as to why she insisted on calling him by his full name, but she seemed to do that with all of them except Jason. She even called Dick Richard most of the time. But he did get the feeling she did that just to annoy the first Robin.

"Hey Carlisle. There is a child in the cart?" He points out because he simply can't figure out any other way. The brunette woman just smiles amused my at him and nods. Her eyes turn to look at the child who is giving him a curious once over.

"This is Ava, Ava say hello to Timothy." She ducks hers head slightly but offers a small wave. Carlisle just shakes her head.

Tim looks back at the woman his older brother loves and the child. They don't share to many similarities, so she couldn't be her daughter. Maybe a niece, but from what he remembered none of her siblings had any children before they died. He racks his brain for answers that he know he won't find.

Although he doesn't have to think long because Carlisle is making a motion for him to walk with them as she starts talking.

"She was brought to me a couple weeks ago, by a concerned citizen." Tim raises his brow at that and she mouthed Jason at him. Which made more since, he could put two and two together.

"She had a few injuries that hinted to a past of abuse, and was left out in the snow underdressed." Carlisle voice is icy here, because she's not stupid and she too knows what that meant. Someone tried to kill their own child. Tim's blood boils.

Why? Why did people do such things to their own children? He never could understand it.

"So when Jason got home from his shift we talked about it before deciding just to adopt Ava. Our friend who brought us Ava is looking into it." And that's it, or at least a very watered down version of the story.

Tim doesn't understand how lucky Jason got to have someone like Carlisle. Any other person wouldn't have been okay with their significant other just bring a random child into the equation. It's probably why Bruce had gotten away with it, he was alone save for Alfred. So no he doesn't know how Jason got so extremely lucky, but he's glad.

"Timothy, would you like to join us for dinner? I'm making gumbo."

The fact that she cooks delicious food is also a plus.

Dick finds out from Tim, and then decides to investigate. Which meant showing up at his brothers apartment to see for himself. Carlisle raises a brow at him as he slips through the slidding patio door. She shakes her head with an exasperated sigh.

"There is a front door, the building has a front door. It's a nice front door too." She complains from her spot in the kitchen. Smelled like she was baking.

Dick just smirks at her.

"Tim said you and Jason adopted a kid." He decided to get straight to the point, Carlisle rolls her eyes throwing a rag over her shoulder.

"We did. Jason found her on patrol a couple weeks ago. She would have died. Stay for supper and you'll be able to meet her."

"Why?" He can't help but to wonder and she gives him a baffled look.

"You don't want to meet her?" Dick shakes his head, that's not what he meant.

So he clarifies. "Why did you adopt her? You could have taken her to any of the Wayne foundation orphanage knowing they'd find a good home for her." She makes a face at him, her lips forming a small oh and then she just chuckles.

"Why take her anywhere else when we could give her a perfectly safe and stable home here." It's not a question, he realizes. Dick just laughs.

"So are you staying for supper or not?"

This woman.

Ava peers curiously up at the person looking down at her. Finally she blinks, and the boy huffs. Carlisle shakes her head. "Good morning Damian, thank you for using the front door, would you like some waffles?"

Damian looks over at her after his throughout inspection of the child. Nothing out of the ordinary with that one. He raises a brow at Carlisle. "Waffles would be nice." She nods at him.

"So you and Todd took in a child." He mutters whim sitting at the bar to watch her prepare more batter. The girl was in a high chair further down she had resumed babbling at Carlisle who gave back replies as needed.

"We did,you are actually the last of your brothers to stop by and investigate." He huffs at her comment, she just smirks at him. In the corner of his eye he sees the little girl pick up a crayon.

"Ava don't put that crayon in your mouth." Damian turns his head, slighting amazed, Carlisle hadn't even been looking at her. Ava sets the color down a slight pout on her face.

"How are classes going for you Damian? Alfred mentioned you'd started at Gotham Academy."

"Tt. The teachers are idiots, as are the other students." He looks back at her as she goes to pour batter into the waffle iron. She just shakes her head at him, an amused smile across her lips.

"That may be true, just try and make the best of it. Besides you can always think of it as training." His brow raises at that. Sometimes he forgot she knew about them, she was too normal, too much of a civilian that it easily slipped his mind. An oversight he was going to have to fix.

"Training?" Carlisle nodded.

"Watch your father the next time you go to a Wayne event, or Richard, or Timothy. School is a good way to develop a public persona. A good place to practice face." He took a moment to think over her words. Whatever he was going to say in response was cut off by Jason opening the front door. He rolled his eyes at the appearance of his youngest brother and Carlisle offered him a mirthful smile.

"Damian stopped by this morning to return that book I let him borrow, and is staying for breakfast. How was your run?" He watches them interact with intrigue. Jason grins at her as if he knows there's more to that story and she just returns the look. Kissing his cheek as he passes behind her heading towards the toddler.

"Papa!" Ava squeals excitedly from her spot. Clapping her hands together.

Jason crosses the distance between them easily plucking from the chair without any reservations. Damian watches as the little girl presses wet kisses to his cheek, his brow raised in half disgust.

He also can't help but to wonder if this is what a real family looks like. Damian pushes away from the counter. Carlisle looks away from Jason and their daughter, she gives him a look. "Will you help Jason set the table?" It's not a question. He almost just leaves right then.

But then the little girl reaches for him, and somehow the toddler ends up in his arms.. The girl fist her hands into his shirt. "You sit wit me?"

Neither Jason or Carlisle comment on his attempt to escape. Instead Carlisle takes Ava from him while passing Jason some plates. Jason hands them to Damian ruffling the kids hair. "You heard the lady."

He stays for breakfast.

 **XOXOX**

 **If you are from the south you know that dinner=lunch in a lot of houses. So yeah. Supper is what is more commonly referred when talking about dinner. Don't know why, it is just like that.**

 **To answer a comment from the last chapter. I'm not really a hundred percent certain on Lian's age here. All I know is that she is between 5-7, Ava is three.**

 **Also the ages for everyone at this point.**

 **Jason is 24-25**

 **Carlisle is 23-24**

 **Dick is 26-27**

 **Timothy is 17-19 range**

 **Damian is 11-13 range**

 **Since the age gap between all of them is confusing, and I can never find the exact difference I took some liberties in this story.**

 **I know there are other outlaws besides Roy and Kori, would you like to see them in this story? Also do we want to see more of Steph and Cass? Alfred is going to more than likely be in the next chapter and maybe we will get more of that elusive billionaire Bruce. Maybe.. we will see. Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	26. 26

**.26**

It took a lot out of Alfred not to laugh at the irony of the situation. A considerable amount of self-control and only a few moments to regain his senses. The fact that Jason was also present at the manor after years didn't help the matter, regardless of the time they'd come to check up on Damian months before since neither had stayed very long. Every year since learning of his resurrection he made sure to extend an invitation to Thanksgiving dinner to the wayward son. This year to his utmost surprise Jason took Alfred up on the invitation.

Although the butler assumes it has something to do with the woman to his left. "I come barring sweet potato pie." She says ever so brightly holding out the pie, smile wide on her face. Jason has the little girl in his arms, her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Wonderful Ms. Tollar, let me take it to the kitchen for you. Come inside, we are still waiting on Master Timothy and Miss Stephanie to arrive." Carlisle hands over the pie without much fuss.

"No problem Alfred, actually we would have been later but I thought you might like some company." She doesn't say assistance or help. A much appreciative gesture.

"Meal preparation are almost complete. But if you must." He tells her not missing the knowing smirk Jason throws at the back of her head in a 'i told you so' manor.

"Jay tells me that you make the best stuffing, I'm hoping to sneak an early taste." Alfred raises an eyebrow at her. Carlisle just continues to smile, taking the child from Jason as the girl reaches for her.

"You and everyone in this house Ms. Tollar." He tells her plainly and she just winks.

"Alfred, you will find that I am well versed in the art of sneaking first taste. After years of fighting with my siblings over who exactly was going to get to eat the left over batter of Constance's brownie bombs." She leaves it at that smiling cheekily at him, while using one hand to untangle the toddlers hands from her hair. Jason rolls his eyes.

"We will see." Because while he didn't doubt it, this was the Wayne manor and those boys her by far sneakier than most.

Carlisle just keeps smiling, as if she doesn't know how to do anything else. It is a welcomed sight here. Alfred watches from the corner of his eyes.

Jason shoves his hands in his pocket following slowly behind them. His eyes trained on his girlfriend and their daughter. Ava has begun trying for Carlisle's hair again. He wondered how much longer she'd leave it down.

"Are you planning on staying the night, I know that Master Richard and Master Timothy will be staying in there old rooms." Alfred asks once they've entered the kitchen. The look of Jason's face tells him all he needs to know. Neither had planned on it.

"Probably not, we have to fly out tomorrow for New Orleans. My family always does Thanksgiving late since before they always hosted a community wide dinner on the day." Carlisle explains passing Ava back to Jason when she starts squirming to much. Jason just sighs at her giving the child a starn look. Alfred watches as the girl stops wiggling and lays her head down on his shoulder.

"It seems like someone is fighting a nap." She blinks sleepily at him, trying to suppress a yawn.

"She had a late night." Carlisle says out loud and then mouths nightmares to him. Alfred nods hi head in understanding.

"Well Master Jason's old room is available for use if either of you would want a break from holding her." He'd yet to see them put her down. Although he knew from the boys that that was only the case when they were in public. As if they were afraid to let her go least someone try to take her from them. Alfred could understand the feeling all to well.

"Thanks Alfie, that's actually not a bad idea. I can take her up there." Jason answers, Carlisle offers him an understanding nod. It would also allow him a moment before the onslaught that would happen tonight from the others. She pecked him on his cheek before he turned to leave the kitchen.

"Thank you." Alfred voice is clear, but she can hear his emotion in it. Carlisle turns to look at him. Eyes curious. Before she can ask he continues.

"It's nice to see him like that." He tells her, and all she can do is nod.

"I really haven't done anything." She tries to deny, looking down at the countertop. Alfred shakes his head.

"You have done far more than you know Ms. Tollar. My thanks, are perhaps not enough." Her cheeks flush, she lets her hair fall over her face.

"He's right you know." Carlisle jumps, whipping her head over her shoulder. Bruce Wayne stood in another entrance to the kitchen. She hadn't even heard him come in. Her hand finds it way over her fast beating heart.

"Christ, you startled me." The man chuckled at her expense taking a step further into the large room.

"My apologies."

"Regardless, there is nothing either of you need to thank me for. Loving Jason, is my pleasure, it's not something i've done to warrant praise or thanks." She tells them, smile still present, tone laced in sincerity.

Bruce just shakes his head at her. Because he knows the truth, knows something that she might not even be aware of. "Ms. Tollar, your care and love to my grandson brought him back to us. You offered him stability and understanding when we could not. Were there for him when we were not. You may think what you have done is nothing special but it has meant the world to our family. Thank you." Alfred's tone is full of raw emotion, raw feelings, he means every single world. Carlisle becomes quite staring at them both in nothing short of surprise.

She didn't think of it like that. All she'd done was her job, helping people. Jason had needed her help. It wasn't like she expected any of it to happen.

Something wet slides down her cheek. She rubs at her eyes. Why was she crying? Both men look just as surprised by the act as he feels. Carlisle wipes the tears away pushing down the feeling in her stomach and just smiles at them. "I'm sorry, I don't know where the tears came from." She mutters, tone slightly embarrassed. Alfred shakes his head and offers her a napkin.

"It was not my intention to upset you." He tell her as she takes the offer cloth from him. Carlisle shrugs her shoulders.

"You didn't upset me. I just never thought that my actions would mean something to anyone else." Other than Jason, all she wanted was to help and love him.

"Ms. Tollar please never change." Bruce says after a moment, his voice gentle. She looks between them once again.

"Carlisle." She states tone firm, still clutching the damp napkin between her fingers. Bruce nods in understanding.

"Very well, Carlisle. Welcome to the family."

Tears form in her eyes again, but for a very different reason and she laughs. Neither say anything more on the matter.

 **XOXOX**

 **Yeah i know it's not thanksgiving time, but i was in a mood to write holiday fluff. I hope that i did okay portraying Bruce and Alfred here. They might be a little occ but it's really hard to write both of them sometimes. Anyway please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	27. 27

**.27**

Jason stood out on the back porch of the Tollar house. A lit cigarette between his fingers but he hadn't taken a single smoke. Carlisle and his would have stayed in the Quarter again as it was two bedrooms and they had Ava but her parents had insisted they stay with them for the three days they were planning on being in New Orleans. He could tell it was already starting to wear on her.

The brisk November air, while not a cold as it was in Gotham was a nice break from the heat of the house. Constance apparently had been cooking since before they got here as per her own tradition even if dinner was still a few hours away. He needed a reprieve from the women in the house and moment to himself. These last few days had been a whirlwind of emotions for him. Dinner with the Waynes had gone as well as one would expect with everyone home for the holiday for once.

He listens as the door opens quietly behind him, picking up the slight sound of three feet hitting the wooden deck. "Care to share." Marcel Tollar hums as he settles himself next to him. Leaning over the railing that overlooked the pool and garden. Jason hands him a one and then holds out his lighter to the older man.

Marcel brings it to his lips, breathing in the nicotine lightly before blowing out puff of smoke. Jason looks over at him making note of the man's physical features marking the differences from the last time he saw him. His illness had brought out more lines in his face, greyed almost all of his hair, there were blutches and bruised over his arms and face. There was no doubt of his state. The man was dying. Even if he'd held on longer than his doctors had thought he would.

"When I was a younger man I wanted to do something worth remembrance, be someone. Building Tollar, taking the company my father started and building it into something that meant something to people was what I thought people would remember me by. I wasted so much time." Jason doesn't speak, he has the feeling that he's just meant to listen. Marcel doesn't look at him, eyes still far off, cast out. Wherever he is, it isn't on the porch with him. He recognized that look, he'd seen it in Carlisle's eyes, and he'd seen it in his own.

"I was a greedy man. I wanted the world, and in the process I lost what mattered most. My father use to warn me, he'd say son there is nothing more important than a man's family. He tried to tell me. But I was ambitious. I thought that I was special that I could have it all." He takes a breath, and another drag from the smoke.

"I watched six of my children die, and before my baby girl met you I really believed I was going to watch her die too. Carlisle loved her siblings deeply, their loss broke her in ways neither Jeralean or I could repair." Marcel looks over at Jason then, who has taken to staring at the man's face. As if he didn't understand.

"My wife and I have so much to thank you for. You saved our daughter, and I suspect she probably did something similar to you. The ones we love save of from ourselves, they make us strive to be the best version we can be. I won't live to see you mary my daughter but do make an honest woman of her soon." Marcel puts out his cigarette in the tray Jason had been holding his hand goes to dig through his front pocket. He takes advantage of the startled and surprised look on the boys face.

Out of his pocket he pulls out a ring, simple, but elegant. He takes the tray from Jason's hand and places the ring in his palm.

"The ring was my mother's, she would have wanted one of the girls to wear it." Marcel pats Jason's shoulder and turns his heel and walks away. Heading back inside just as Jarelean yells his name.

Jason stares at the back of the old man's head for a long moment, he stuffs the ring quickly in his pocket. He stands out there for a few more minutes trying to wrap his head around what just happened. Just as he goes to put out his untouched cigarette Carlisle pokes her head out of the double french doors. She smiles, it's beautiful, reaching her eyes taking over her entire face.

"There you are, what are you doing out here? Nevermind come inside were going to eat soon." He pulls himself together enough to grin back at her.

"Give me a minute. I'll be right in." She shakes her head and disappears back inside the doors.

Jason takes a breath and heads back into the house. No need to keep them waiting. When he enters the kitchen he wraps a arm around Carlisle, presses his lips against the top of her head. She smiles, eyes curious but doesn't comment. Ava crashes into his legs then and he leans down to pick her up.

"Papa!" She giggles, planting a wet kiss to his cheek. He pulls at one of the ringlets that's fallen in her eyes. Then wipes the smug of chocolate batter off her cheeks. Someone got into leftover brownie mix it would seem.

Constance looks up from where she was icing a cake, as if the two pies she'd already made weren't enough. She shares a secret smile with Jeralean who has taken to pulling plates out of the cupboard. They share a secret smile and then the old woman is shewing anyone not helping with the finishing touches out of the kitchen. Carlisle laughs at her expression and pulls Jason to the main dining room where Marcel has already taken his seat at the head of the table. The man offers him a knowing look and then turns his full attention the Ava as she wiggles her way out of Jason arms and over to her grandfather. Climbing up into his lap despite Carlisle's protest, he waved off his daughter's worries to entertain the little girl until it was time to eat. She sighs.

Jason watches the whole thing in amusement. No doubt where Carlisle got her stubborn streak from. Her father was something else. The weight of the ring in his pocket felt heavy.

 **XOXOX**

 **I'm just going to leave this here. Yeah don't want to write anymore for this chapter. Betcha thought i'd forgotten about her parents down in New Orleans. Haha i hadn't. Just was waiting for the right time to bring them back into play. Figured now was a good opportunity.**

 **Apologies for the shortness of this chapter. Hopefully though the fact that I have posted so many today will help you forgive me.**

 **Please let me know what you think.**

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	28. 28

**.28**

There are nights when it all to much. The dreams are memories and they hurt to bad. When the waking moments, aren't enough and you realize that no matter how much better life is now the past is still just as dark. Haunting you in your dreams turned nightmares and keeping you awake restless and aware of the harsh reality. Jason knows this feeling all to well. There are many sleepless nights in their house. Between all three parties who live there. He tries to be quiet as he leaves the bed, brushing a strand of fallen matted hair from Carlisle's cheek. Kissing her forehead softly as she stirs and he whispers for her to go back to sleep.

Sometimes she listens and rolls over no problem, sometimes she's just as stubborn as the first night they met and she turns on her bedside lamp and sits up. Tonight was one of those night, she pulls herself up eyes blinking drowsily at him in the early morning light. She leans back into the headboard giving him a moment to decide if he wants to stay in bed or if they're going to get up. Carlisle will leave it up to him if he wants to talk about or not. He leans over to kiss her temple. "I'm going out to have a smoke, go back to sleep." He tells her, she makes a face.

"I know, but old habits die hard." At that she just rolls her eyes and he gets off the bed grabbing a sweater out of a pile he heads out of the room.

Carlisle gives him his space, but there's no way she'll be going back to sleep now. Instead she pulls the book off her nightstand and picks up from the last chapel.

Jason leans over the rails, eyes cast down to the still busy street below. Cigarette is lit but he's barely touched it. He's counted to a hundred and back trying to clear his mind from the imagines in his nightmares. There were just some things things that didn't leave you.

"Those things will kill you." He looks up, and can't help the smirk that forms on his lips.

"They'll have to get in line." Jason mutters bitterly. The dark figure raises his brow.

"We missed you on patrol last night." He just rolls his eyes, patrol with the bats. Not his cup of tea but it had sort of just happened over the last few weeks. Except he hadn't bothered with it last night. There was something more important to look into.

Bruce watches his son for a moment. Not sure what to say next. As if he's afraid of the reaction he'll get. He doesn't know the man his son has become, doesn't know him well enough. Sure he can make guesses and assumptions but those things had tendencies to fall short. Instead he picks another topic.

"How is she holding up?" News of Marcel Tollar's death had reached Gotham a week prior. The man had been ill for a while now, so it hadn't been unexpected.

Jason decides to take a drag before answering that loaded question. Carlisle loved her parents, but life has not been to kind to her family. It was hard to tell. He shrugs. "What are you doing here Bruce?" Because this is his damn patio and regardless of if the man is still in gear Jason is going to call him by name. Bruce just sighs.

"Was in the area. Thought I stop by." Jason just looks at him, expression mostly blank. There is a vague sense of disbelief in his eyes.

"Sure." He reaches over pats Bruce shoulder, and then puts out his cigarette.

"It's to early for this." Jason turns his head and walks away, heading back into the penthouse. Leaving Bruce alone on the patio just moments before the break of dawn.

By the time Jason comes back to their bedroom, Carlisle is sitting at her laptop, phone against ear arguing with someone in French. He raises a brow at her, checking the tone to find that it is about 6. She rolls her eyes in response to his look and mouthed Tollar business. Her father hadn't been dead two days when board members started calling her with their concerns about the company and directions they wanted to take Tollar in. Carlisle fired every single one that dared bother her while she was still burying her father, and then told the rest to let her family grieve and process the lost first before bothering them.

Her father had everything set up that in the case of his death the company could run smoothly for months. She intended to take advantage of his paranoia while she gathered her bearings. Marcel Tollar had known his daughter well, and had set it up so that she had the power to make such decisions as firing half of the board. Because he'd known how blood thirsty some of them were.

Jason waits for her to hang up, it doesn't take long. She wishes the person on the other end a good day and then clicks the off button throwing her phone away from herself. Carlisle turns to look at him, eyes narrowed but it's not followed by any heat. "Don't laugh." There's a warning in her voice. He just shakes his head snorting at her.

"Of course not sweetheart." Definitely laughing anyway. Carlisle looks affronted.

"I'm expected to make an appearance at WE Christmas fundraiser, despite how I feel about such events." She looks so defeated as she tells him this, as if it physically pains her to say it. Jason leans forward rubbing a thumb across her cheek.

"Don't worry darling, no one will be able to get to you. Not while I'm here." Her smile is faint, but he counts it as a success. Carlisle places her hand on top of his, holding it there against her cheek.

She goes to respond when the creaking of the door catches her eyes. Ava stands blanket clutches in one hand the other rubbing her eye adorably. It seemed like no one in their house had a full night of rest. The little girl wanders over to their bed and crawls into it with the help of Jason, settling between them but curling into his side.

"Bad dream?" He questions, brow slightly raised at her. But his concern is unmistakable, Carlisle runs a hand through Ava's curls in a soothing manner. She nods her head pushing herself further into Jason side as it's the only way she'll feel completely safe.

Looks like they were going to be here a while.

 **XOXOX**

 **I had plans for this. But then i changed my mind. So this was originally meant to be a longer chapter but I sort of lost the inspiration halfway through writing it. So i'm just going to leave it as is so i don't get sick of it. Thank you for reading this chapter!**

 **Please let me know what you all think.**

 **Thanks!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	29. 29

**.29**

Carlisle didn't want to be here. Jason didn't want to be here. And yet here they were. Dressed appropriately, with Ava, at the stupid Wayne Christmas fundraiser. The only redeemable thing about the whole thing was that Bruce started the night by declaring Jason alive to the world.

Which might have not been a good thing in Jason's eyes, but Carlisle was rather happy with the development. It showed growth on Bruce's part, forgiveness and acceptance. She was proud of the man. A little heads up next time would have been nice, but baby steps.

She watched as Jason was pulled into a conversation between a man she knew to be Lucius Fox the head of Wayne's RD department and commissioner James Gordon. Both men were acting happy to see Jason. Which was also a plus. Carlisle had tried to tell him that there were people who did in fact miss him. Once assured that nothing was going to happen to her love she turned her attention to where Ava had run off too.

Damian was here, so she's not surprised to find her daughter next to the youngest Wayne boy a hand clutched into the fabric of his pants. Out of all of Jason's siblings Ava liked Damian the best, followed by Cassandra and Tim. She didn't know why it was those three and not say Richard since he had a natural affinity with children. All she knew was that if any of the aforementioned were around if Ava had permission she would be with them. Especially if it was Damian.

Jason thought it was hysterical.

When Damian felt her eyes on them he nudged Ava lightly. She looked up and waved over at her mother. Carlisle smiled at them both, mouthing a question at the boy who just smirks at her. Well at least she wouldn't have to worry about her daughter to much.

"It's nice to see Jason smile again." Carlisle does her best not to show her surprise. She didn't like it when someone was able to sneak up on her. Instead she turns a charming, definitely fake, but charming smile to them. If he noticed well he didn't say anything about it.

"I don't think we've met." She states eying the man who was obviously a reporter warily. Carlisle didn't trust reporters, she'll amend that statement a little. It was their intentions she didn't trust. There is a double meaning in her words, how do you know Jason?, the man just offers her a pleasant smile. He holds out a hand.

"Clark Kent, I'ma friend of Bruce's." Carlisle eyes his hand before accepting it cautiously. There were lots of friends of Bruce here. Not all of them were friends.

"Carlisle Tollar, nice to make yer acquaintance Mr. Kent." She responds civilly. Still wary, but doing her best to remain in control. Carlisle's track record at these sort of things was bad as is. Perhaps she was too paranoid.

"Clark stop mackin on my girl." It was as if Jason had sensed her discomfort, like he had a special power for it and appeared right behind her. His hand ghosted over the small of her back. The man just grins.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Jason rolls his eyes at the statement, eying the superhero intently. Trying to detect any level of dishonesty or malicious intent in the man's actions. Coming up completely short.

"Where's Ava?" He turns his attention to Carlisle who smiles before making a gesture to the left. Just over her shoulder but still in seeing range is their daughter, all but attached to Damian's leg. Jason just smirked.

"We should probably relieve the little brat of babysitting duty." He mutters, Carlisle snorted at the thought. It was highly unlikely. Ava loved Damian. At the interested look Clark gave them, Jason turned his grin to the alien. Offering absolutely no explanation.

Typical Jason.

"I need to go make face for another twenty minutes or so, but then we can leave." She says, kisses Jason's cheek then offers a small apology to Clark and excuses herself. Taking a step in the direction of where Tim was talking some Gotham socialite.

There were reasons as to why she'd originally declared it a bad idea. Justified paranoia. Carlisle knew innately that nothing good ever came of these sort of parties. It's why she usually refused. She'd hoped that this one would have been different. She prayed that it wouldn't end disastrously like all the other. For crying out loud this was a Wayne event. Bruce Wayne was more paranoid than most people. And for the first part of the night everything had been fine.

Up until the moment she decided that they should go home. Ava was getting sleepy, and both herself and Jason were getting anxious. Then shit hit the fan, in the comotion she got separated from Jason and their daughter. She prayed they were somewhere safe.

Carlisle bit her lip, making a note of all the exits and all the hostages. Hostages who were on a different side of the room. Her hands were fisted around a nice jacket that she had applying pressure to gaping cut on Timothy's side.

It's only four men, they shouldn't have been able to cause such a fuss. Four men with guns in a room with mostly unarmed civilians. Some people were able to get away before they gained full control of the crowd. Like Jason, their daughter, Bruce, and Damian. Carlisle hoped they regained the upper hand soon. Because she didn't know how much more blood Tim could lose before passing out, or how much longer she'd wait before having to do something. They'd separated the Wayne CEO and the Tollar CEO from the other socialites early on, obviously they knew who they were.

"I thought I told you bitch to get away from him." One of the thugs is behind them, he kicks her away from Tim. She hisses dangerously at him.

"And I thought I made myself very clear about what I thought of that asshole." No one could say that Carlisle Tollar wasn't brave. Tim whimpered quietly watching through half opened eyes unable to do anything.

"You're gonna pay for that bitch." The thug goes to strike her again, but this time in a show of grace that Tim didn't know the woman to have ducked under the man's swinging limbs. She's back at his side working quickly to get him to apply pressure to spot. Don't let up, the order clear in her eyes. Tim had always been good at following orders.

She hadn't wanted it to come to this. But at the end of the day she was still a combat medic and someone was threatening her patient. Carlisle stood from the third Wayne boy's side coming face to face with the barrel of a gun.

It should have terrified her but the truth of the matter was she really needed a weapon. She'd rather not have to use the gun strapped to her upper thigh. Anyone who thought she'd be unarmed at any event held by high society was an idiot. There was just too many times that she'd been hurt at one of these things to not have a weapon. It was only paranoia if it wasn't justified.

"I'll take that." In seconds she'd disarmed him and turned the gun on him. Now gaining the attention of two of the other thugs.

"Shoot her!" Idiot number one yells. Carlisle just smirks as the man lunges for her, she uses his shoulders as a springboard digging her heel between his shoulder blades as she flips over him. Maybe she was more than a simple combat medic, Tim thinks warily watching her. A sort of sluggishness starts settling over his mind, he was losing a lot of blood.

He could only think of a few woman who he knew who could fight like that and he was starting to see a resemblance. Tim watched as she used the thugs own size against him, proving that there was still a lot they didn't know about the woman Jason loved. Only assassin's fought like that.

Two shots ring out, each hitting their mark. They aren't kill shots but the thugs would be getting up. Carlisle has a gun in each of her hand, she looks peeved, there's a spit up the side of her dress that hadn't been there before and Tim realizes that one of the guns belonged to her. Bodies hit the floor as two more shots ring out.

Just like that it's over. She's at his side once more applying pressure to the wound. "They aren't dead, but they won't be getting up anytime soon." Carlisle tells him pressing the bloodstained coat further into his side.

"How?" He mutters half coherently. She cursed, Timothy was losing to much blood. Where were the police? The gunfire should have drawn them in.

Better yet where was his father? Certainly this was the type of thing that would warrant Batman's immediate attention.

"You stay with me and I'll tell you over dinner. Now eyes on my Timothy." She tries just as his eyelids drop.

 **XOXOX**

 **Dun dun dun. Just leave you this nice little clift hanger here. Hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**

 **P.S. yes I know my fight scenes are for crap.**


	30. 30

. **30**

Carlisle doesn't remember the moments between. In her panic, in the rush, the desperation to keep Timothy alive she's blacked out the moments between. It's all she can do to stay calm, stay together, because if not she knows there's nothing keeping her from falling apart. She'd never wanted to watch another person she considered family bleed out.

He was alive, it was the only thing she could focus on then. He was alive. In surgery, barely hanging on, but alive. It was all that mattered.

She paces in the waiting room by herself, dress still torn, still covered in his blood. Carlisle doesn't know whats taking the others so long to get here. Every moment that passed was one less that they would see Timothy if something happened. So she paces in a privet waiting room of the hospital.

Paces until her legs burns and blisters form on her feet. Because it was the only thing she could do. She only stops to look up at the sound of racing shoes hitting cold tile, echoing off the walls. Finally they were here, in crumpled and hastily put on suits. It takes a lot for her not to be angry here, why had the wasted time. Bruce goes straight to the nurses station for an update.

Jason rushes over to her, pulling her close to him. Wrapping both arms around her shaking frame. It doesn't take long for a cry to catch in her throat as she finally loses resolve. "Ava?" She manages panicked and concerned lacing in her tone. Because even in her panicked and in shock state she hadn't forgotten her daughter.

"She's fine, she's safe at home I called Kori." She nods numbly, Jason leads her over to a chair gently he coaxes her down. He squats so he's directly in front of her.

"How are you?" He asks as if he doesn't already know the answer, rubbing a thumb over her cheek forcing her to keep her focus on him. She reaches for his hand on her face cupping it close in smaller hands, leaning into his touch.

"I don't understand why this keeps happening." He leans forward pressing his lips gently to her forehead. Jason could see her walls slowly falling, slipping away, he would do the best he could to keep them steady.

Bruce walks over soon after, Jason can hear the tension from the man. He stopped looking down at them both. Jason spared him a half glance over his shoulder, his jaw clenches at the look in his old man's eyes. Already he can tell he won't like what the man is about to say, knowing it has nothing to do with the medical state of his replacement. Now was not the time to interrogate his girlfriend, she wasn't in the proper mental state to defend herself. Carlisle doesn't even notice the change of mood instead she cast concerned and worried eyes up meeting the man's own harded gaze.

"How's Timothy? What did the desk say?" Jason holds his breath in anticipation, he would give Bruce one chance to drop it. To realize that now was not the time or place. Once chance and then anything he did after was fair game. He watches as if Bruce suddenly realizes who he's looking at and what exactly she's done for his family.

"He's out of surgery but they haven't moved him to a room yet. I was informed they would come get us when we could see him." He says after taking a deep breath.

Jason sees the relief wash over Carlisle in deep waves. She relexas significantly at the news, slumping in her chair slightly. "Oh, how wonderful. I'm so relieved to hear that." She breathes looking at him, smiling to herself.

Of course he knows that what has happened won't be forgotten but for now it's set aside. Not to be bothered with. For now. Honestly it was the most he could ask for.

 _x_

The first thing Timothy realizes upon waking up other than how much pain he's in is that there is something soft and plush nudged between his right arm and torso. With closer inspection through hazy and half aware glances he comes to the conclusion that the soft plushy thing in question appears to be a stuffed rabbit. His next post under conclusion is that he is in fact in a hospital room and he is not alone. Tim can make out the figure if someone small tucked in the corner of the room on the guest couch with a book in their hand. He's pretty sure it's Carlisle, because she was the only woman he knew that small and the rabbit probably belonged to Ava. Also no one he knew smiled quite like that.

A groan slips past his lips as he tries to adjust himself to get a better vantage point. It only proves to aggravate his wounds and cause more pain than necessary. Carlisle stands then, pushing the blanket off her her and walking over to the bedside. She must take pity on him because she adjust his pillow so he can sit up without putting to much strain on his mid section.

"How are you feeling?" Carlisle asks taking a seat at the foot of the bed pulling his chart and then pinning him with this look that made him think if he didn't answer honestly she would not be happy.

"Sore, what happened?" He questions, the memory of how he got in this position blurry. The pieces he has don't fit, don't make sense. She doesn't answer him at first taking a moment to fill in his chart. Timothy wasn't aware she still worked for the hospital. Carlisle offers him a soft smile at that, laughing slightly, although it sounds a bit forced so he must have accidently said that out loud.

"I volunteer. Although you are my only patient at the moment, since you decided to go and bleed out on me." He looks away then. Tim knew how she felt about such things.

"Sorry." He mumbles, she just shakes her head.

"Just don't do it again." Carlisle mumbles. Timothy nods his head, he didn't want to have to lie to her. That wasn't something he could promise. But He also had the feeling she knew that.

"Where is everyone?" He questions next. There was a part of him that had expected more than just her to be here. Carlisle pats his leg softly, he's sure it's meant to be comforting or something.

"Bruce had to run over to the office, Alfred is watching Ava for us, your brother went out to get breakfast and coffee. With the exception of Alfred they all should be back soon. You should get some rest until they get back." Timothy accepted that answer for the truth and leaned back into his pillow.

"Great. I can-" He stops himself, Carlisle gives him a concerned look. Timothy pauses his sentence something hitting him. His eyes meet hers narrowing slightly as if trying to figure something out.

"Why do you know how to fight like that?" He says finally without any preamble. It takes her a moment to figure out just what exactly he means. She offers him a small smile and shakes her head.

"A story for another time Timothy, when you are out of the hospital and where the walls don't have ears. Get some rest, I'll be back later to check on you." Timothy watches as she walks away. Well then, how interesting. He didn't doubt she'd tell him, he vaguely remembered her promising but it was just so interesting.

The look in her eyes when she realized what he was asking. He's never seen her look like that before. It was unsettling. Which didn't help the already forming hypothesis he had going. Only time would tell. Right now he needed to focus on recovering, once he was better he'd figure it out. Although it didn't stop him from wondering if Jason knew whatever it was that she was hiding, or if he knew what it was and just didn't care.

Timothy decided the second option was more likely a moment later. For the sheer fact of how their relationship seemed to work. His eyes drifted down to the rabbit, and he can't help the smile that form on his lips. Yeah that was Ava's no doubt. "So what do you think about this?" He questions out loud knowing fully that he's alone and no one was going to respond. Maybe if he closed his eyes he could clear his head, just let the calmness of the room do it's magic.

"Rise and shine bitch!" Jason's maniacal over the top voice calls out, the door slamming open with a loud bang. Timothy sighs, opening his eyes to glare at his older brother. There goes that thought. The second Robin smirks at him in response.

Yeah, whatever it was Jason definitely knew. He was a jerk like that.

 **XOXOX**

 **Hi guys! I know it's been a while since I posted an update for this, my bad. Please accept my sincerest apology. I do hope that you enjoy this chapter and if you do let me know what you think. Thanks so much!**

 **Also shoutout to all you kind folks who have reviewed the last couple chapters, you guys are awesome! Your words have been so kind and so helpful in the writing process for me.**

 **As always thank you for reading this chapter!**

 **I hope you all have a wonderful day!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


	31. 31

**.31**

Jason sat crossed-legged on the carpeted floor of their home, Ava sat in his lap babbling animatedly in the direction of the youngest Robin. Who's only paying half attention to her, his focus mainly on Carlisle. The woman in question had finally decided to tell them the reason for her fighting style but in a especial show of her character is putting it off by insisting to cook dinner.

Obviously it was causing tension. Jason wasn't about to stop her either. He knew it wasn't anything for them to be worried over, and if they weren't so fucking paranoid then this wouldn't be an issue. Instead he focused on what Ava was trying to tell Damian. When he brought her home all those weeks ago the toddlers vocabulary hadn't been that great. She'd learned a few more words, Carlisle had been teaching her, but it didn't change the fact that most of what she said was nonsensical.

She huffed at the dark haired pre-teen, turning to look up at him. Jason shrugged his shoulders while offering her an apologetic smile. He couldn't deny how adorable she looked when she was pouting, it was something she seemed to have incommon with Carlisle.

Finally he sighed, clearing his throat loudly causing Carlisle to stop her flitting about. She pinned him with this look, eyes silently asking him if he was alright he gave a nod then tilted his head in indication towards the two young Robins. Damian on the floor with him not paying enough attention to Ava for her liking and Timothy who was still on bed rest settled on the couch under a blanket. Bruce had declined the dinner invitation as expected and Dick was working in Bludhaven so at least it was just those two for now.

Carlisle took a breath and nodded her head. There was a far away look in her eyes and a sad smile on her lips. "My father wanted us to be able to defend ourselves after Alexander died, so he hired self defense instructors for us. Obviously it didn't work out so well for my siblings." She sounds derisive, as if what she says means nothing to her. But Jason knows that's a lie, knows it's not true. That she does care, that the truth hurts her more than she wants to let on.

The reason she was trained, the reason she fought like she did was because a father wanted to protect his children. It just hadn't worked, no matter how good Marcel's intentions had been. Nothing they'd learned could have saved her siblings.

"Now let's eat dinner. I made gumbo." No one says anything in protest. Jason is sure that their taking in what she's said trying to determine its veracity. He rolls his eyes, idiots. They should know by now that Carlisle wasn't a liar.

Alfred came by to pick the boys up later in the night, along with a reminder to the third Robin that he was still not cleared for vigilante work she sent a large container of gumbo with them. For the butler and Bruce to eat if they were to become hungry at some point tonight she insisted. Jason was rather surprised Alfred accepted it.

When they were finally alone again, just the three of them Carlisle plucked Ava from her highchair carrying the child on her hip back to the living room. Settling on the floor like Jason had been earlier to play with her daughter. Distracting herself from her melancholy thoughts. She didn't like to talk about her siblings. It hurt, even now.

"Why did it matter?" She questions him when he joins them on the floor. Ava crawls over to him, too lazy to actually walk it seemed.

"I'm sorry Car. I'm so sorry." Is the only thing he can say to her. Because they both know why, both knew just how cautious his family. No matter how ridiculous it seemed. There was no answer he could give her to change that. No answer that would offer her peace, that would make her feel better.

Jason hated it. If he was being honest, and he tried to be, to himself at least that is. Then, if he was being honest. This situation and how exactly his family had decided to handle it made him unsure if he wanted to continue allowing them to impede on their life. It would take a while to get past this.

No matter how many times Carlisle would later protest. Insisting he shouldn't take it personally, that it wouldn't have been a issue if she hadn't been so emotional. He loved her. That meant he didn't like to see her in pain, especially when the source was his intrusive family.

XOXOX

Short chapter I know, but I was ready to draw this arc to a close and move forward with the story. Onto christmas and new years via the current timeframe regardless that it's still summer my time. Just in the mood for holiday fluff and shenanigans. Don't worry the Batfam will still be around, your just going to see Jason being rather petty when their around. As he should be cause their nosiness upset Carlisle. I didn't write it out because I am sure you can imagine it.

Thank you so much for your reviews and favorites!

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter regardless of it's brevity. Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think.

Sincerely, La'Rae


	32. 32

**.32**

Regardless of their current standings with the rest of the Wayne clan, Carlisle still insisted they get gifts. Jason was not a huge fan of the notion since he was still stewing over the recent turn. She was just doing her best to ignore it, it was better to let it go and she wished Jason would see it her way. But he was stubborn and she knew why he wouldn't. Not that she was even really that upset by it. Carlisle was just feeling guilty for being the cause of a rift right now. Especially when they'd all been doing so well.

So with all of that in mind she got dressed, got Ava dressed and drug Jason along with her to the mall. As if he was going to let them go by themselves. This was still Gotham. He walked next to them holding a few bags of gifts for their daughter Carlisle had pre-ordered. They stop in front of a jewelry vendor, something must have caught her eye.

"Do you think Lian will like this?" She draws his attention with the question, pointing at a small rose gold arrow necklace behind the case. The attendant behind the counter turns to look at him as well and all he can do is sigh.

"Thinking about getting it engraved?" Carlisle nods at his question smiling at him glad he remembered. He gives a nod, her smile just widens pleased and she turns her attention back to the attendant.

"We will take it." Jason watches the exchange between them for a moment before his eyes drift down the Ava. The little girl had made a motion to reach for the case from her spot in the stroller. Making a frustrated face when she realized she was too far away to touch the glass. He smirked at the back of Carlisle's head, obviously she knew what she was doing.

Ava turned to look at him. He shook his head and she gave him the most betrayed look. Jason couldn't help but to chuckle. The toddler pouted crossing her arms over her chest. Carlisle thanked the jeweler as they handed over her purchase. She turned her attention to the two of them then giving him an exasperated smile and Ava an amused one.

"You know you aren't supposed to touch glass, it leaves smudges and it's rude." She tells her, missing the smile the vendor gives them as they walk away. Ava gives her a totally unimpressed look. Carlisle rolls her eyes.

..

Christmas eve came quickly. Carlisle had their tree decorated and lit, presents bought and wrapped stuffed underneath. Stockings were hung and lights strung, the penthouse had been transformed into the spirit of the season. Her mother was coming, it would be Jerelean's first trip to Gotham since Carlisle moved away from New Orleans and she was excited. Neither Tollar woman had seen each other since the funeral, besides Ava missed her grandmother.

Jason had gone with Roy to pick her up from the airport, leaving Carlisle to get a few last minute details finished. Food to prepare for Christmas morning, stocking stuffers to get in order. Just a few things to keep herself busy. Although looking at the time now they should be home soon.

"Jeralean did you pack the entire quarter?" Carlisle looks up from the batter she was mixing at the sound of the front door opening and Jason's teasing tone. He's the first one through the door carrying a large suitcase that she knows isn't causing him any issues. She hears her mother huff.

"Honey if you think I could fit all that jazz into one case than yuv lost yer mind." Jeralean says coming into view followed by a snickering Roy. Jason rolls his eyes.

Jeralean locks sharp eyes on her daughter, a similar smile works it's way over her features. "My beautiful baby girl!" She exclaims rushing over to Carlisle throwing her arms around her, kissing both of her cheeks. As if she hadn't just seen her daughter a month prior. But a lot had happened since Thanksgiving and she missed her.

"Merry Christmas Mama, how was your trip?" Carlisle return the smile. The older woman released her hold shaking her head.

"Long, now where is my darlin' grandbaby?" It takes a lot for Carlisle to keep from rolling her eyes.

"Down for a nap mama, why don't we get you settled in? And if your up for it maybe you could 'elp me wit' sugar cookies." The old woman just laughs patting Carlisle's arm smiling. Her daughter acted as if she actually had a choice on the matter. Jeralean would be helping her with cookies whether she wanted it or not.

"Car, is the plan still for me and Kori to come over with Lian in the morning?" Roy asks, drawing the younger woman's attention away from her mother. She nods offering him a bright smile.

"Yes, yes. I have gifts for you all that you can only get then, also I heard a rumor that Santa would be bringing some of Lian's gifts here. Just come over sometime before eleven, no rush." He gives a thumbs up in affirmative shaking his head at her. Roy could shake the feeling that Carlisle was about to spoil his daughter senseless, and probably Kori too. He said his goodbyes after that leaving Jason to fend for himself.

Jason took Jeralean's bags to the small guest bedroom to clear the space in the kitchen since he knew it was about to be covered in confections. Carlisle loved baking, and he knew she would make enough for him to take some of the sweet treats to the alley kids tonight. It wasn't the first Christmas they'd spent together after all and Carlisle's heart knew no limits when it came to giving love to broken and lost things. He smiled to himself then.

He might not have deserved her, but he was damn glad she was his and that she loved him. Maybe it was time to solidify that. To show her just how much she meant to him, and how much he loved her in return. Jason knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, so he might as well go ahead and make it official.

The ring Marcel had given him had been heavy in his pocket since Thanksgiving.

 **XOXOX**

 **You guys! Thank you so much for your warm reception to this story. I hope that you continue to like what I post with this. Since it doesn't really have a plot and is mostly fluff. Just my fic where I needed to give Jason Todd the love he deserved. Thanks so much for reading!**

 **Sincerely, La'Rae**


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